2024-25 Middle School Course Catalog by Saint Ann's School

Artwork by: Vivian L., 6th Grade

Intelligence, imagination, talent, and creativity will get nowhere without a basis of knowledge and skills, and for this education must be sufficiently structured and focused. But an education too rigid, too formulaic, too lacking in narrative, may kill the once-active, inquisitive mind of a child. Education has to achieve a balance between structure and freedom, and each child’s needs may be extremely variable.

–Oliver Sacks, The River

of Consciousness

We come to you with next year’s course offerings! Take your time; embrace the freedom to choose broadly; think about what adventures you’d like to set out on next year. In the pages that follow there are myriad exciting choices, spanning across disciplines. We hope you will take risks, explore new territory, and delve more deeply into your talents and passions. Consider your options carefully, but also know you will have time to talk through your selections with your dean or division head. It is important to read the entire catalog and consider things that may not feel immediately comfortable.

Once you have decided which classes you would like to take, mark your choices on your registration form or in the Veracross Registration Portal (if you are a rising seventh or eighth Grader). Current fourth through seventh Graders, your division office will be in touch to schedule an appointment after you have completed these forms. Over the course of the next two months, each student will meet with the appropriate person to discuss and finalize choices. Fourth graders will meet with Margie Hanssens; fifth graders through seventh graders will meet with their rising grade deans or Jen Zerneck

Dive in! Indulge your interests, plan wisely, and have fun!

–The Upper and Lower Middle School Offices

HOW TO USE THIS CATALOG

This catalog is divided into sections for each grade. There is also a special section for students new to Saint Ann’s. And welcome to the Lower Middle School, our rising fourth graders! Within these pages, you will have the opportunity to take a look at the road ahead.

As you read through the descriptions of the offerings and discuss your options with your family and friends, keep in mind that the number of periods available each day and week is limited. Ideally, your schedule should challenge but not overwhelm you; striking a balance between what you must take, what you would like to take, and what you realistically have time to take requires some thought and judgment.

Also, it’s important to remember that there are lots of you and many courses. We will do our best to create a schedule that reflects as many of your interests as possible. You should choose a number of classes that immediately appeal to you while also being adventurous about trying new things. Some flexibility may be required as you talk through your choices with your dean or division head and consider your priorities.

Please note that you can also find this course catalog online. From the Saint Ann’s home page, click on “Departments”, and then “2024–2025 Middle School Course Catalog”.

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS

If you are new to Saint Ann’s, welcome! We are very glad that you have joined us!

Registering for classes at Saint Ann’s may be a bit different than in your present school. Take some time to read through the course descriptions for the grade you will be entering and begin thinking about your choices. If you have any questions, you or your family are welcome to call or email the appropriate division office (see below for contact information). We are happy to help!

There are many options and we encourage you to sample broadly.

Now, it’s time to get started! Find the section of this catalog that applies to your entry grade and start reading. Good luck, and have fun making your selections.

See you soon!

Who to contact if you have questions:

New 4th and 5th Graders

Margie Hanssens

Head of the Lower Middle School

718-522-1660 x238

mhanssens@saintannsny.org

New

6th, 7th or 8th Graders

Jen Zerneck

Interim Head of the Upper Middle School

718-522-1660 x234

jzerneck@saintannsny.org

GENERAL INFO: ARTS COURSES

Art

Upper and Lower Middle School students are automatically scheduled into a mixed media fine arts course meeting twice a week. These classes explore visual expression through a wide range of materials and media and dimensional formats. A variety of technical and conceptual approaches are introduced and practiced throughout the middle school years. The artist within is nurtured, challenged, and strengthened. There are also elective art classes available for each grade in addition to the required class.

Theater

Theater is central to Saint Ann’s, and so we invite all of our Upper and Lower Middle School students to involve themselves in the art and the craft of ensemble storytelling and the joy of collaborative theater making. Whether they are acting, building sets, costuming, dancing, filming, puppeteering, or writing, every Saint Ann’s student has the opportunity to find his/ her/their voice as they delve into all aspects of the theatrical world.

Fourth, fifth and sixth grade students are scheduled into one theater course automatically; this course will meet once a week. Students may also request additional electives within the theater department. Seventh and eighth grade students are required to choose at least one theater course and may choose more.

Music: Instrumental Study

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom or philosophy.”

—Ludwig Van Beethoven

Fourth grade students will automatically have a music class on their schedules, which will include the study of the recorder. There is also a string instrument elective offered for fourth graders. Fifth grade students choose from a range of orchestral instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone and percussion. Rising fifth graders who began strings in the fourth grade may continue in fifth grade or move to a wind, brass or percussion instrument. Most sixth grade students continue studying the instrument they began in fifth grade. Two years or more of study enables a fuller learning experience that prepares each young musician for ensembles, chamber music and/or jazz. Seventh and eighth grade students may continue with their chosen instrument, and/or they may begin guitar, percussion, saxophone, bassoon, or trombone.

HEALTH CLASSES

Health education at Saint Ann’s begins with introductory fourth grade workshops. In fifth grade, students begin a series of monthly health workshops that take place throughout the year. These sessions look at students’ social selves, navigating technology, and growing up.

Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students are scheduled into weekly health classes during which students are encouraged to become active agents in their own well-being and to explore health as a larger community issue. In eighth grade, students have monthly meetings during their health classes with high school mentors who are trained in working with middle schoolers.

Students are also welcome to visit the Health Education Center on the 5th floor.

4 TH GRADE: GENERAL INFO

The transition to Lower Middle School is an exciting time rich with new experiences and challenges. Fourth grade students begin their journey with individualized schedules, a new sense of independence and backpacks that often weigh more than they do! Every fourth grader’s schedule will include English, language structures, history, math, science, library, theater, music, computer skills, studio art, gym and workshop. In addition to these classes, students may decide whether they would like to continue taking dance and/or gymnastics, and if they would like to sing in our Lower Middle School Chorus. Fourth grade students may also request a few other electives, described below. Please note that these additional electives will not fit on the schedules of all who request them. Elective choices will be made on a form sent home to all third grade families during the spring. If questions arise, please don’t hesitate to call Margie Hanssens in the Lower Middle School Office: 718-522-1660, extension 238 or send an email to mhanssens@saintannsny.org.

4 TH GRADE: ELECTIVES

Music

4th and 5th Grade Chorus (1x per week)

Any fourth or fifth grade student may join this choral group. This performing ensemble focuses on strengthening the singing voice and developing the ability to part-sing independently. We perform music in different languages and styles and experiment with varying levels of difficulty.

Strings Program (2x per week) Beginning Violin, Viola and Cello.

Recreational Arts

Note: All students must have a minimum of two movement classes on their weekly schedule. If neither a recreational art nor dance elective is chosen, a child should expect to see two gyms on their schedule. At least one gym will be on every students’ schedule regardless of chosen electives.

Gymnastics (1x per week)

This class is the next one in the progression from Lower School and emphasizes tumbling, apparatus work, and climbing activities. The class will meet in the 10th floor apparatus room.

Theater

Fourth Grade Dance (1x per week)

Together as an ensemble, this dance class of entirely fourth grade students will explore the relationship between music and movement. Through exercises and games, students will develop new technical skills, engage in improvisations, and create original choreography. Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert in March is a requirement of this class.

Poetry

Poetry Seminar (1x per week)

A workshop—a place where things are made with tools. We experiment; we play with words, ideas and the devices people use to make poems. We read poems and we make poems.

Art

Found Object Art Through Creative Recycling (1x a week)

Students will learn to make different style dolls, stuffed animals and mixed-media art objects, working with clay, plasticine, papier-mâché, and other materials, exploring a variety of techniques such as weaving, sewing, crochet and printing. This course will take us on a wonderful journey of discovery where we will learn to see objects from a different angle through the artist’s prism and give them a new life.

Math

Lower Middle School Problem Solving (1x per week)

Problem Solving is an interactive and fun class for fourth and fifth graders who love considering and solving math problems. Students will explore and develop efficient problemsolving strategies involving arithmetic, logic, geometry, algebra, and trial and error. Lower Middle School Problem Solving is not intended to help students “get ahead” in the math curriculum, but rather to supplement an established or burgeoning love of mathematics.

Puzzles and Games (1x per week)

Do you enjoy geometric puzzles? Would you like to learn more about the origins and development of puzzles, and try out lots of fun mathematical games? Do you want to understand the mathematics behind card games such as Cribbage, Spades, Euchre, Canasta, Contract Rummy, and Blackjack, or board games such as Backgammon or Blokus? Whether you are interested in Tangrams (the world’s first puzzle craze), more modern recreations such as Hex and Polyominoes, or understanding popular games of chance from a mathematical perspective, this is the course for you!

5 TH GRADE: GENERAL INFO

In fifth grade, students begin incorporating additional electives into their schedules, spreading their reach more deeply into what we have to offer them. They reap the benefit of the independence that was encouraged and cultivated during their first year of Lower Middle School as they consider which among the many new options they’d like to see included in their fifth grade experience. Every fifth grader’s schedule will automatically include English, language structures, history, math, science, a musical instrument, theater, studio art, gym and workshop.

5 TH GRADE: MUSIC

Instrumental study is the focus of the fifth grade music curriculum. Students are asked to choose from a range of orchestral instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, and percussion. Students who began strings in the fourth grade may continue in fifth grade. Classes are taught as group lessons that meet twice weekly. Saint Ann’s provides instruments for all fifth graders.

5 TH GRADE: ELECTIVES

Music

4th & 5th Grade Chorus (1x week)

Any fourth or fifth grader may join this choral group. This performing ensemble focuses on strengthening the singing voice and developing the ability to part-sing independently. We perform music in different languages and styles and experiment with varying levels of difficulty.

Computer Science

We use software that runs on Mac, Chromebook, Windows, Unix/Linux, and tablet computers. Classes meet twice a week, and classrooms have one computer available for each student. (We have a brand new and updated computer center as of fall 2023!)

Computer Skills and Literacy II (2x per week)

Let’s use computers to express creative ideas and solve problems relevant to school work. We will practice our typing and use computers to create web pages, images, animations, graphics, games, spreadsheets, and databases. Let’s organize ideas, discuss bias within the tech world, and learn independently. Prerequisite(s): Computer Skills I or instructor’s permission.

Middle School Programming I (2x

per week)

Introduction to logic and computer languages. Be prepared to concentrate and experiment: we won’t spend much time drawing pictures, but we will write programs (using words, numbers, and graphical programming blocks) to find prime factors, for example, or to make 3D characters walk, talk, and fly about the screen, perhaps with parachutes and keyboard control. Prerequisite(s): Computer I or instructor’s permission.

Library

Library Elective (1x per week)

The fun continues with fifth grade library class! While you will still be able to curl up and listen to a story, you will also uncover the secret search strategies of the librarians and learn how to tell if a website is trustworthy. You will also discuss censorship, write online book reviews, explore databases and the Dewey Decimal System (ever wonder what those numbers on the book spines mean?) and more.

Poetry

Poetry Seminar (1x per week)

A workshop—a place where things are made with tools. We experiment; we play with words, ideas, and the devices people use to make poems. We read poems and we make poems.

Recreational Arts

Gymnastics (1x per week)

This class is the next in the progression from fourth grade gymnastics. There will be a stronger emphasis on technique, alignment, and form. The class will meet in the 10th floor apparatus room.

Art

Printmaking (1x per week)

This course will introduce students to the hands-on, thoroughly engaging process of creating prints. Students will learn to make woodblock and linoleum prints, silkscreens, etchings, and monotypes. The first semester will follow a loose timeline of prints through history, and students will be able to create their own prints at each stage. During the second semester, students will be encouraged to work independently on a project using one of the printmaking methods they learned in the first months of the year.

Math

Lower MS

Problem Solving (1x per week)

Puzzles and Games (1x per week)

Science

More Science!

(1x per week)

This course is dedicated to fans of science wanting to do More Science! We will continue some themes from fourth grade (bones, geology, and fossils) as we investigate a variety of extinct organisms that rival the strangest of science fiction. How do we know about dinosaurs, and even stranger creatures, that have been gone so long? What cutting-edge science is being used to unravel these mysteries of the past? We will also dive into the science of vision, studying chemistry, physics, and biology as we travel from pigments that are acid-base indicators, to light and optics, to eye anatomy and optical illusions. Side trips into other topics may be taken as well!

Theater

Theater (1x per week)

All fifth grade students are automatically scheduled into a theater class that meets once per week. Through games and exercises, students explore character study, improvisation, acting techniques, and ensemble building. Classes often culminate in a class play or performance project. In addition, students may opt to take one of the classes listed below.

Fifth Grade Costume (1x per week)

Come join our sewing circle. Through production work for our divisional shows and personal projects, students in this class will steadily build a foundation of machine and hand sewing skills as they also learn about costume history, the rudiments of pattern making, and a variety of textile crafts. All steps of the design process, from sketching to construction, will be explored.

African Dance (1x per week)

An introduction to the joys and complexities of traditional West African rhythms, culture, and dances. This class is accompanied by live musicians and is made up of fifth and sixth grade students. Come one, come all! Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert and rehearsals in March are a requirement of this class.

Dance Fusion (1x per week)

This class is for both beginning and intermediate dancers and is made up of fifth and sixth grade students. A love of movement is essential but no previous dance experience is required. Rooted in Modern/ Contemporary dance styles, this class will combine movement games, dance techniques, and improvisations that explore how to take inspiration from different dance styles, and the world around us, to create original, expressive choreography while acknowledging the context and history of each source of inspiration. Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert and rehearsals in March are a requirement of this class.

Puppetry (1x per week)

In this class we explore a wide variety of puppet forms with an eye toward collaborative, interdisciplinary puppet productions, and large-scale puppets. The art of puppetry has historically been essential to many different cultures and social movements across the globe, and we harness inspiration by examining context and exploring the many techniques and traditions that came before us. Students may be involved in constructing any number of puppets, writing scripts, constructing puppet sets and backdrops, or running the technical aspects of a live show. Special attention is paid to developing hands-on crafting skills through safe practice with a variety of tools including simple hand tools and handheld power tools. The course will include creating original puppetry projects throughout different disciplines and departments and will culminate with participation in our community-wide Puppet Parade.

6 TH GRADE: GENERAL INFO

Registration for sixth grade is similar to previous years, but with more exciting choices! Current fifth grade students will meet with a dean or member of the Upper Middle School Office, to review their course selections. You are welcome to get in touch with the Upper Middle School Office with questions before or after your individual meeting. As always, your families should feel free to call or email our office with their questions as well.

Requirements for Sixth Grade Students:

Art

Health

Music

Rec. Arts

Theater

Digital Literacy

Sixth grade students are automatically scheduled into a mixed media fine arts course meeting twice a week. This class explores visual expression through a wide range of materials, media, and dimensional formats. A variety of technical and conceptual approaches are introduced and practiced throughout the Lower and Upper Middle School years. The artist within is nurtured, challenged, and strengthened. Additional art electives are also available.

The theme of health in sixth grade is “growing up,” and the class explores the physical, emotional, and social aspects of this experience. Topics cover an array of subjects, including puberty, relationships, technology, and stress management.

Students must select at least one music course. Additional music courses can be selected as electives as well.

Every Lower and Upper Middle School student will have at least two recreational arts classes each week: one traditional gym, and either a second class or another offering by the department. Students may select additional elective courses as part of their recreational arts requirement.

Students are scheduled into one theater games class; additional elective choices abound!

Sixth graders are scheduled into weekly digital literacy classes—a class for the digital aspects of your lives. We will learn foundational technology skills while critically reflecting on your relationship with technology. We will examine and explore digital technologies, media, the Internet, and our digital identities.

6 TH GRADE: MUSIC

Overview

Many sixth grade students continue studying the instrument they began in fifth grade. Two years of study enables a fuller learning experience that prepares each young musician for future participation in a variety of large instrument ensembles. This can include chamber music groups and jazz ensembles, a variety of instrumental chamber music groups, or classical ensembles. Sixth grade students may also begin Beginning I: Percussion, Beginning I: Saxophone, Beginning West African Percussion and/or sign up for Music Lab and Middle School Singers.

Particulars

Students are placed in small classes.

Using the elective sheet, students should indicate whether they will continue studying their current instrument, and/or select other music electives. A students’ ongoing progress is evaluated through checklist and anecdotal reports, and each spring we assess instrumental students to ensure appropriate placement for the following year.

Instrumental Study

Beginning I: Percussion (2x per week)

Sixth grade students may choose percussion for beginning group lessons. Students are expected to practice at least 15 minutes a day.

Beginning 1: Saxophone (2x per week)

In this class we will learn the basics of playing the saxophone. The saxophone can be used in many styles of music.

Beginning West African Percussion (2x per week)

This class builds hand percussive techniques and knowledge of West and Central African rhythms. Students will be introduced to the djembe drum, dunun, otea, sangban, kenkeni, and conga. We will be working towards each student knowing multiple parts on various percussion instruments.

Continuing II: Clarinet, Flute, French Horn, Oboe, Percussion, Trombone, Trumpet (2x per week)

These courses are a continuation of first year instrumental classes. In the second year of study, students are expected to practice at least 20 minutes a day.

Continuing III: Violin, Viola, Cello (2x per week)

These courses are a continuation of second year instrumental classes. In the third year of study, students are expected to practice at least 20 minutes a day.

Middle School Singers (2x per week)

Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students may join this choral group. Our performing ensemble focuses on strengthening the singing voice and developing the ability to part-sing independently. We perform music in different languages, styles, and levels of difficulty. Please note that one of the class meetings may take place during a lunch period.

Music Lab I (2x per week)

This class is an exploration of basic compositional methods, production, and keyboard musicianship through the use of electronic musical instruments, computers, and a variety of compositional, production, and instructional software all taught against the backdrop of various styles of popular musical genres spanning hip hop, R&B, electronic music such as EDM, and pop. Students develop increased fluency in note-reading, ear-training, listening, keyboarding, and music vocabulary throughout the course work.

Students with little or no experience playing the keyboard should be open to developing a strong literacy of the keyboard and the dexterity necessary to play simple musical passages. A significant portion of the school year will be devoted to the development of these keyboarding skills. This course is designed to stimulate student growth in piano through the use of performance, basic theory, and listening. Students will be learning beginning pieces based on this course work. All students will also complete work in beginning music theory combined with an application to popular music genres giving them the knowledge necessary to form a lifelong enjoyment of music. Goals include:

1. Begin understanding the concepts surrounding making music with technology;

2. Play simple piano passages with basic proper technique;

3. Perform alone and with others;

4. Read music notation;

5. Compose and construct musical ideas within specific guidelines using electronic music making software and techniques.

6 TH GRADE: ELECTIVES

Art

Graffiti & Street Art (1x per week)

Graffiti art, a pillar of hip-hop culture, is America’s most authentic visual art form. Street Art, its sibling movement, is the most popular visual style among youth worldwide. Both were born of rebellion here in New York City, yet rarely are they offered in a course of study. Here, students will create new names for themselves and invent fresh letter styles. Wild-style, block letters, bubble letters, tags, 3D, graff characters, stencils, stickers, and black books are just some of the skills and materials students will work with. Underpinning the course will be a historical overview of graffiti’s local Bronx roots and the Black, Latinx/a/o, and immigrant peoples that gave it birth.

This course will use non-toxic materials, particularly colored pencil, markers, and acrylic paint, while focusing on the aesthetic and historical development of both genres.

Computer Science

We are surrounded by science fiction—portable computers, social media, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, electronic games, nanotechnology, big data, etc.—built by people who know how to design, dream, and code. With computer science we can make art, crunch numbers, translate languages, and solve many human problems.

Our courses show students how to be more than just consumers or users: they learn to be independent creators on computers, able to control and help shape the tools of today and tomorrow. Using software that runs similarly on Mac, Windows, Unix/Linux, and tablet computers, our courses teach a range of topics including programming, graphics, circuitry, web, spreadsheet analysis, logic, and other skills that are useful for doing everything from analysis to artwork to running social movements.

Computer Skills and Literacy II (2x per

week)

Let’s use computers to express creative ideas and solve problems relevant to school work. We will practice our typing and use computers to create web pages, images, animations, graphics, games, spreadsheets, and databases. Let’s organize ideas, discuss bias, and learn independently. Prerequisite(s): Computer Skills I or instructor’s permission.

Programming I (2x per week)

Introduction to logic and computer languages. Be prepared to concentrate and experiment: we won’t spend much time drawing pictures, but we will write programs (just using words, numbers, and graphical programming blocks) to find prime factors, for example, or to make 3D characters walk, talk, and fly about the screen, perhaps with parachutes and keyboard control. Prerequisite(s): Computer Skills I or instructor’s permission.

Programming II (2x per week)

A continuation of Programming I with more advanced material, including Python or languages in the Java/Python/Javascript family. Prerequisite(s): Programming I or instructor’s permission.

Design and Engineering Lab 1 (2x per week)

Learn how to control a computer without a mouse, keyboard, or monitor: Perhaps make a mask with glowing eyes, or feed your fish remotely when you are away. Use skills with craft and technology to improve life. (What? Is this possible? … Yes!) We will use microcontrollers— single-chip computers that fit in your hand—and write interactive programs that tell them to convert movement into digital information. Hook together resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, and sensors so that you can, for example, wave your fingers to turn on lights or motors.

Mathematics

Mathematical Art (2x per week)

Come make beautiful things with math! See countless examples of gorgeous art, simple art, clever art, and mind-blowing amazing art, all structured on mathematical ideas. Drawings, sculptures, computer-aided designs, video, and pieces of music are all fair game—everything from M.C. Escher and symmetric patterns to modular origami, string art, Islamic strapwork, hexahexaflexagons, Möbius kaleidocycles, hitomezashi stitching, and much more! At every step we also work on our own mathematical art and incredible creations in a collaborative workshop environment.

Math Team (2x per

week)

Do you love the idea of struggling through tricky problems that you may not have been taught how to navigate? Are you willing to take tests where getting a 40% would be considered a great score? In this course we’ll participate in team and individual competitions (both in-person and digital) that test your ability to navigate novel situations. We’ll discuss how to create rules that you can generalize and utilize and how to break complex tasks into navigable bite-sized chunks. And of course, we’ll compete!

Recreational Arts

Every Upper and Lower Middle School student is required to have at least two recreational arts classes each week: one traditional gym, and either a second gym class or another elective course offered by the department.

Gymnastics (1x per week)

In this fifth and sixth grade gymnastics class there is a stronger emphasis on performing gymnastics skills with better technique, alignment, and form. The class meets in the 10th floor apparatus room.

Karate I (1x per week)

This course offers a serious, non-intimidating approach to traditional martial arts. Students begin with basic punches, kicks, and blocks, and then progress to forms (katas) and other fundamentals on their way to sparring. The primary emphasis is on karate as a sport and martial art, although confrontation training and self-defense applications are also covered. A gi (karate uniform) is both required and provided.

Middle School Exercise (1x per week)

This course provides an introduction to various forms of exercise and conditioning which may include cardiovascular and weight training, fitness walks, yoga, climbing, group games, and sport skills.

Science

Biodiversity (2x per week)

In this course we will investigate the world of living things, both large and small. Students will gain hands-on experience with a variety of amazing organisms ranging from microscopic bacteria to hundred-year-old trees. As they observe these creatures, we will answer questions like: What is the difference between a mushroom and a plant? Is coral a plant or an animal? What are those tiny things zipping around in a drop of pond water? We will answer all these questions and more as we explore the key differences and startling similarities between living organisms. Not for the highly squeamish, this class will require active participation in the observation and handling of both living and nonliving specimens, including unicellular organisms, plants, and both invertebrate and vertebrate animal species. Students will be active participants in directing these activities, so come with questions and get ready to explore!

Science in Science Fiction (1x per week)

Science fiction and fantasy are popular genres of interactive and non-interactive fiction. But what makes science fiction and fantasy good? The science of course. Science in Science Fiction aims to analyze the accurate portrayal of science in movies, shows, books, and social media and explore the basis of truth in works of fiction. After looking at different forms of media, students will write their own sci-fi stories with foundations of accurate scientific information.

Theater

Sixth grade students are automatically scheduled into a weekly theater games course that involves character study, improvisation, acting techniques, and ensemble building. Classes often culminate in a class performance project. Students are encouraged to choose additional courses according to their interests.

African Dance (1x per week)

An introduction to the joys and complexities of traditional West African rhythms, culture, and dances. This class is accompanied by live musicians. Come one, come all! Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert in March is a requirement of this class.

Breaking the Code: Media and Filmmaking (1x per week)

This two-semester workshop is a general-purpose media and technology analysis class. We deal primarily with studying the power, form, history, and structure of various types of media, culture, and technology from cinema, to advertisements, to narrative structure, to computers, mobile devices, internet, video games, augmented reality, A.I., social media, and print. The purpose of the class is to spark discussion and debate about how media and technology affects our emotions, interacts subliminally with our psychological state, and shapes our society for the better or worse.

Costume Production (1x per week)

Come join our sewing circle. Through production work for our divisional shows and personal projects, students in this class will steadily build a foundation of machine and hand sewing skills as they also learn about costume history, the rudiments of pattern making and a variety of textile crafts. All steps of the design process, from sketching to construction, will be covered.

Dance Fusion (1x per week)

This class is for both beginning and intermediate dancers and is made up of both fifth and sixth grade dancers. A love of movement is essential but no previous dance experience is required. Rooted in modern/contemporary dance styles, this class will combine movement games, dance techniques, and improvisations that explore how to take inspiration from different dance styles, and the world around us, to create original, expressive choreography while acknowledging the context and history of each source of inspiration. Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert in March is a requirement of this class.

Puppetry (1x per week)

Puppetry class celebrates the philosophy that, “anything can be a puppet, and puppetry can be anything.” Here we will explore a wide variety of puppet forms with an eye toward illuminating different historical and cultural contexts. From shadow puppets to hand puppets and everything in between, the art of puppetry has been essential to many different cultures and social movements across the globe. We harness inspiration by examining these contexts and exploring the many techniques and traditions that came before us. Students will be

involved in constructing puppets, writing scripts, crafting puppet sets and backdrops, or designing the technical aspects of a live show, often in collaboration with other departments in order to highlight traditions and holidays from around the globe. Special attention is paid to developing hands-on crafting skills through safe practice with a variety of tools including simple hand tools and handheld power tools. The course will culminate with participation in our community-wide Puppet Parade.

Sixth Sense Theater (1x per week)

This course includes basic acting techniques, character work, and improvisation. Short plays and scenes and monologues of various kinds are explored, and “workshop” performances develop from this course. This is a special class for sixth graders only, and is meant to combine the most fun and the most meaningful improv work and text work. It is called Sixth Sense because we hope that sixth graders will take advantage of the time to develop their intuition and imagination in this extra period of theater each week. This is for you, powerful and playful sixth graders!

Technical Theater (1 double period per week)

Technical Theater is both a practical and a theoretical course that serves as an introduction to the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating theatrical productions. With particular focus on scenery, lighting, audio, and props, students practice creating and experimenting with technical elements as a way to tell stories. This practice ranges from the design process (working out ideas and translating them into something that can be shared with others) to the implementation—with hands-on experience with power tools, lighting gear, and sound equipment. Students work side-by-side with their teachers, developing basic stage construction skills which may include building flats and platforms, creating props, and painting.

We welcome and encourage students who wish to further develop their technical skills to apply for a position working behind-the-scenes on a performance project. Note: Participation on a running crew for a performance project will require time outside of class. Also, please be aware that due to size limitations and safety considerations, enrollment priority will be given to seventh and eighth graders.

Specialty Courses

Poetry (1x per week)

A workshop—a place where things are made with tools. We experiment; we play with words, ideas, and the devices people use to make poems. We make poems.

Middle School Newspaper: The Owl (1x per week)

The Owl is the Middle School’s very own student led newspaper! A variety of articles, op-eds, interviews, puzzles, reviews, and poems will find their way into its pages. Writers cover major school milestones, address issues in and outside of the Saint Ann’s community, and share a commitment to upholding journalistic ethics. If you’re interested in journalism, join The Owl. Besides putting together the current issue and holding pitch meetings for future issues, we’ll look at what other news outlets are doing, debate what constitutes a newsworthy story, conduct writing workshops, and do a deep dive into the implications of language and the power behind the words we use. Anyone with a passion for writing, photography, videography, or layout is welcome. All interested in joining The Owl can sign-up for the course, editors must sign-up!

7 TH GRADE: GENERAL INFO

Registration for seventh grade is similar to previous years—but with many more options to choose from, including language selection, specialty courses, and new music options! Current sixth grade students will meet with a dean or a member of the Upper Middle School office to review their course selections. You are welcome to get in touch with the Upper Middle School Office with questions before or after your individual meeting. As always, your families should feel free to call or email us with their questions as well.

Requirements for Seventh Grade Students:

Art Students are automatically scheduled into an art class. Additional art electives are also available.

Health Seventh grade students are scheduled into a Health class meeting once each week. Seventh grade Health addresses many of the influences middle school students often navigate. Topics such as social pressure, relationships, and food are addressed in this context. The seventh grade curriculum also covers stress and larger mental health concerns, and looks at sexual orientation, gender identities, and gender roles.

Language Students must enroll in at least one language course in seventh grade. Students are able to take more than one language in consultation with their dean.

Music Students must take at least one music course. Additional music courses can be selected as electives as well.

Recreational Arts Every Upper and Lower Middle School student is required to have at least two recreational arts classes each week: one traditional gym, and either a second gym class or another elective course offered by the department.

Theater Students must take at least one theater course. Additional theater courses can be selected as electives as well.

7 TH GRADE: LANGUAGES

What To Expect

Seventh graders must enroll in at least one of the languages offered: ancient Greek, Chinese, French, Latin, and Spanish, which they can continue through twelfth grade.

Seventh grade students are able to try up to two languages if they are so inclined, and if they do, we recommend combining a classical language (ancient Greek or Latin) with a modern one (Chinese, French, or Spanish).

Until high school, students may not select both French and Spanish. Heritage speakers and students with multiple years’ experience in languages taught at Saint Ann’s may consult with deans and department faculty about appropriate tracks for them; accelerated options are available.

Ancient Greek I

In this course we study the language of ancient Greece. Starting with the alphabet and sound system, we move to the fundamentals of grammar—how phrases are made—and build a vocabulary to encounter Greek speakers in their original language as quickly as possible. We study the dialect from Athens in the fifth century BCE, using myths and stories, textbooks, flashcards, games, and wordlists, as well as inscriptions and archeological evidence. By the end of the year, we will have a command of basic syntax.

Chinese I

This course is designed for students with no or little previous experience in Chinese language. In the first year, we master the pronunciation system (pinyin), recognize and write simplified characters (traditional characters can be accommodated upon request), acquire words on a variety of themes, build basic sentence structures, and explore culture.

Accelerated Chinese

This course is designed for students who are heritage speakers and covers two years in one. We use the textbook series Integrated Chinese, and students will take Chinese 3 the following year upon completion. We master the pronunciation system (pinyin), recognize and write simplified characters (traditional characters can be accommodated upon request), master essential sentence structures, focus on making conversations for functional and daily life situations, and explore culture. Prerequisite(s): permission of Division Head and Director of the Chinese Program.

French Beginner I

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of French. Immersed in the language from the first day, students learn basic conversational vocabulary (greetings, introductions, weather, and time) as well as an assortment of useful vocabulary for talking about family, friends, school, food, clothes, travel, and cultural outings. Students study the essentials of French grammar: nouns, articles, pronouns, verb tenses, and sentence structure. All four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are emphasized through a variety of class activities. In addition to daily conversation and daily oral and written practice exercises, students write and present dialogues and sketches, sing songs, read poems and short tales, and watch a short French film or two. By year’s end, students are able to carry on an elementary conversation in French and read and write simple sentences.

Latin Beginner I

In this course we study the language of ancient Rome. Starting with the sound system, we study the fundamentals of grammar (how phrases are made, how word endings show their syntax) and build a vocabulary. We encounter the speakers of Latin themselves, from scrolls, tombstones, and graffiti as well as in myths and stories. We learn how the sentences work, play in dictionaries, solve sentence puzzles, and explore word roots. Through various activities we explore the ancient world and expand our linguistic skills.

Spanish Beginner I

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Spanish. Immersed in the language from the first day, students learn basic conversational vocabulary (greetings, introductions, weather, and time) as well as an assortment of useful vocabulary for talking about family, friends, school, food, clothes, travel, and cultural outings. Students study the essentials of Spanish grammar: nouns, articles, pronouns, verb tenses, and sentence structure. All four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are emphasized through a variety of class activities. In addition to daily conversation and daily oral and written practice exercises, students write and present dialogues and sketches, sing songs, read poems and short tales, and watch a short Spanish film or two. By year’s end, students are able to carry on an elementary conversation in Spanish and read and write simple sentences.

7 TH GRADE: MUSIC

Overview

Seventh grade students may continue with the instrument they chose in fifth or sixth grade, and/or they may begin bassoon, guitar, saxophone, or trombone. Students may also choose a non-instrumental course. Participation in a music class is required.

Particulars

Students are placed in small classes. Each student should carefully choose a first, second, and third choice of music class. The department will make every effort to see that each student receives his or her first choice, given the number of sections available in each instrument category. Students’ ongoing progress in their classes is evaluated through checklist and anecdotal reports, and each spring we assess instrumental students to ensure appropriate placement for the following year.

The Music Department appropriately places students wishing to begin ensemble study. While the specific number and composition of ensembles will inevitably change from year to year, for the upcoming year students may choose Brass Techniques, Camerata, Jazz Techniques, or woodwind/percussion techniques.

Students enrolled in any ensemble are required to practice regularly outside of class. The Music Department provides additional support to individual students by offering a Music Resource Room where students can practice during the school day, and we offer a wideranging list of private lesson options for those students who wish to support the ensemble experience by studying privately.

Music Technology

Music Lab I (2x per week)

1. Begin understanding the concepts surrounding making music with technology;

2. Play simple piano passages with basic proper technique;

3. Perform alone and with others;

4. Read music notation;

5. Compose and construct musical ideas within specific guidelines using electronic music making software and techniques.

Music Lab II (2x per week)

A course for students who have already taken Music Lab I, Music Lab II continues the development of skills and techniques learned in the first year of study. This class focuses on a deeper look at music technology through the use of more complex technologies and the further developing of keyboard skills, at times above other musical endeavors in the music lab. The overall focus of this class becomes the development of musical skills that are required to move forward as a music technologist—as well as the exploration of more advanced technologies. Students must also be open to singing and matching pitches as the class explores ear-training as part of the pursuit of basic musicianship. Course goals include:

1. Furthering of keyboarding skills and playing technique

2. Working with and exposure to, industry standard current music technologies;

3. Composing music within specific guidelines;

4. Improvising following the standard blues chord progression;

5. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music;

6. Understand the relationship between music and the world beyond the school setting;

7. Ear-training and singing intervals.

Pianists should consult the instructor about moving into the Advanced Music Lab class

Prerequisite(s): Music Lab I or adequate experience, and permission of the instructor

Music & Culture

Storytelling through Music and Song (2x per week)

How do different musicians, composers, and performers new and old express their ideas and tell stories through music? How do musicians from around the world put words to music? Who are your favorite musical storytellers alive and making music today? In this class, let’s take a closer look at musical theater, folk music from around the world, songs of political protest and civil rights, and the rock, pop, country, jazz, rap, and R&B currently featured on your preferred streaming platform. Be prepared to share some of the music that you love and identify with! We’ll do a lot of listening to music, watching live performance videos, listening to podcasts, and we’ll spend some time creating our own music or lyrics, making new stories come to life.

World Music (2x per week)

Become a musical explorer! We will travel widely in search of musical cultures of indigenous peoples, and explore the ancient and notable classical traditions of the Indian subcontinent, Asia, and Africa. We will focus on music that is on the verge of extinction because of the widespread influence of American popular culture. We will enjoy demonstrations and workshops in non-Western performance traditions and practices with visiting artists, drawing on the wide range of musical traditions that can be found here in New York City.

Instrumental Study

Beginning I, Continuing II

Students in the instrumental study program must either provide their own instruments or rent them through the school.

Beginning I: Bassoon, Guitar, Saxophone, Trombone

Students may choose to begin studying one of these four instruments for group lessons. Trumpet/horn students please note: in general it is easy for you to make the transition to trombone.

Beginning West African Percussion (2x per week)

Performing Ensembles

The Music Department offers the following ensembles based on both student need and interest. If you are interested in joining an ensemble, we recommend you select two from the following choices. Speak with your current instrument teacher if you want to know more about any group. Please note that ensemble classes are of mixed instrumentation, and the focus is on developing musicianship and ensemble skills rather than the technique particular to each instrument.

The Music Department is committed to helping students thrive in our ensembles. Students enrolled in any ensemble are required to practice regularly outside of class. The Music Department provides additional support to individual students by offering a Music Resource Room where students can practice during the school day, and we offer a wide-ranging list of private lesson options for those students who wish to support the ensemble experience by studying privately.

All performing ensembles are subject to change from year to year depending on the number and musical level of all participating students.

Brass Techniques (2x per week)

Horn and trumpet students beginning their third or fourth year of brass study, or trombone students beginning their second year of study are combined into one ensemble. Playing in two, three, and four-part harmony, students explore ensemble playing while at the same time building solid fundamentals of technique and musicianship. This class will regularly combine with Wind Ensemble students to create a large concert band. Private lessons are encouraged for students in this class.

Camerata (2x per week)

This class is open to any student who currently studies a string instrument privately, or who has participated in the Saint Ann’s strings instruction program. This group plays a broad range of musical styles to develop ensemble and listening skills. Students may provide their own instruments or rent them through the school. Please note that because this class is of mixed instrumentation, and the focus is on developing musicianship and ensemble skills rather than technique particular to each instrument, students are encouraged to supplement class instruction with private lessons.

Jazz Techniques (2x per week)

This class is for all instrumentalists, and focuses on jazz improvisation and ensemble playing. Instruction in basic scales and chords provides a vocabulary for improvisation. Students are introduced to the jazz repertoire. All instrumentalists and vocalists should be able to demonstrate a grasp of major and minor scales and chords as well as good reading skills. Except for piano, electric bass, and drums, students must provide their own instruments or rent them from the school. Audition required, and once enrolled private lessons are encouraged for students in this class

Middle School Singers (2x per week)

Woodwind/Percussion Ensemble (2x per week)

In this introduction to ensemble playing, third-year students of flute, oboe, clarinet, and percussion meet once a week with the teacher of their specific instrument to work on tone, technique, rhythm, and intonation. The other period is a tutti rehearsal where all of these instruments play together in three, four, and maybe even five part harmonies! Join to explore ensemble playing, while at the same time building a solid technique. Private lessons are encouraged for this class.

7 TH GRADE: THEATER

Overview

Seventh grade students must choose at least one theater course. In seventh grade, students are not automatically placed in a theater class. Instead, students have a wide variety of exciting choices from which to select. Wide enough, in fact, that it is possible for a student to satisfy our theater requirement without necessarily finding an acting class on their schedule. Additional theater classes may be selected as electives as well.

There are stories everywhere and so many different ways to find AND stage them! Through games, improvisation, writing, and performance, students will both discover new stories and bring beloved stories to life. Texts—including plays, scenes, stories, poems, monologues, prepared improvisations, news articles, and letters—will be the foundation for this class. Projects can take many shapes: performances; podcasts and interviews, trying your hand at directing, even inventing a board game! Solo and collaborative work is encouraged. If you find that you’re always making up a story in your head and/or you’ve been dreaming of playing your favorite character on stage, this is a class for you.

African Dance (1 double period per week)

The Art of Comedy (1x per week)

In this energetic and exciting introduction to comic acting, students build characters by working with masks, developing funny walks, improvising silent and verbal scenes, and trying their hand at comedy sketch writing and directing. Clowning, developing comic bits, and slapstick are all a part of our playful time together. We will also watch comedians and comic performances from around the world and examine the technique behind getting the laugh. While students explore this spirited and physical style of theater, they continue to work with the improvisation exercises and theater games familiar from other Upper and Lower Middle School theater classes. Working with scripted comic scenes from theater, film, and television lead us towards developing a workshop performance in the spring. This course is open to those interested in ensemble work, silliness, and risk-taking.

Breaking the Code: Media and Filmmaking (1x per week)

Costume Production (1x per week)

Come join our sewing circle. Through production work for our divisional shows and personal projects, students in this class will steadily build a foundation of machine and hand sewing skills as they also learn about costume history, the rudiments of pattern making and a variety of textile crafts. All steps of the design process, from sketching to construction, will be covered.

Double Theater (1 double period per week)

A more advanced theater course, offered to students who show intense interest in acting; it is for those students who just can’t get enough performance time from a single class period! The course includes improvisation, character work, monologue work, and scene study with texts. An array of scripts and texts are explored. Ensemble work is encouraged. We work on further developing technical skills and exploring new creative approaches. Workshop performances of scenes or a short play develop from this course.

High Velocity Dance (1x per week)

This is an exciting course, jam-packed with skills, dance combinations, and movement exploration. With modern dance as a base, various dance styles covered may include: swing, jazz, salsa, ballet, tap, hip-hop, folk dance, and musical theater. There are opportunities for students to create and collaborate on their own choreography and perform! No previous dance experience is required. Athletes, gymnasts, actors, and artists will all enjoy this class! Note: Participation in the Middle School Dance Concert in March is a requirement of this class.

In-the-Moment (1x per week)

Can we play games today? Do you find yourself uttering these words in theater class each week? Searching for the chance to spend one period a week engaged in theater games and improvisation with other like-minded students? Now is your chance. Based on the teachings of Viola Spolin and others, we will explore play, improvisation, character creations, and silliness. The emphasis in this class will be in-the-moment. This will be an experiential and process oriented class rather than one focused on performance. Those who want to perform can do so in an informal way.

Playwriting (1 double period per week)

This course invites students to find their voices as young playwrights by generating dynamic material through various playwriting exercises and developing communication and reflection

through classroom feedback and discussion. Students also practice collaboration and creative facilitation in the mid-year Playwriting Festival that takes place in late January/early February. The remainder of the year is dedicated to experiments in playwriting. Note: The Playwriting Festival is a central pillar of the course, requiring some weekend time for rehearsals leading up to the festival.

Puppetry (1x per week)

Puppetry class celebrates the philosophy that “anything can be a puppet, and puppetry can be anything.” Here we will explore a wide variety of puppet forms with an eye toward illuminating different historical and cultural contexts. From shadow puppets to hand puppets and everything in between, the art of puppetry has been essential to many different cultures and social movements across the globe. We harness inspiration by examining these contexts and exploring the many techniques and traditions that came before us. Students will be involved in constructing puppets, writing scripts, crafting puppet sets and backdrops, or designing the technical aspects of a live show, often in collaboration with other departments in order to highlight traditions and holidays from around the globe. Special attention is paid to developing hands-on crafting skills through safe practice with a variety of tools including simple hand tools and handheld power tools. The course will culminate with participation in our communitywide Puppet Parade.

Puppetry Production (1 double period per week)

Puppetry Production explores a wide variety of puppet forms and will specifically focus on advanced puppet building techniques as they apply to puppets in performance. Our main goal will focus on creating at least one full puppet show from start to finish. Students may be involved in several different aspects of puppetry production including constructing puppets, writing scripts, crafting props, painting backdrops, or designing sound and lighting elements for a live puppet show. We will seek performance opportunities for Saint Ann’s Kindergarten, Lower School, and After School students. Throughout the year we will also seek to infuse our school’s theater productions with our puppetry creations and cultivate creative collaborations with different departments including Art, Music, and languages. The year will culminate with participation in our community-wide Puppet Parade in the spring. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

Technical Theater (1 double period per week)

Technical Theater is both a practical and a theoretical course that serves as an introduction to the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating theatrical productions. With particular focus on scenery, lighting, audio, and props, students practice creating and experimenting with technical elements as a way to tell stories. This practice ranges from the design process (working out ideas and translating them into something that can be shared with others) to the implementation(with hands-on experience with power tools, lighting gear, and sound equipment). Students work side-by-side with their teachers, developing basic stage construction skills which may include building flats and platforms, creating props, and painting. We welcome and encourage students who wish to further develop their technical skills to apply for a position working behind-the-scenes on a performance project. Note: Participation on a running crew for a performance project will require time outside of class.

7 TH GRADE: ELECTIVES

Art

Students are automatically scheduled into a mixed media fine arts course that meets twice a week. This course explores visual expression through a wide range of materials, media, and dimensional formats. A variety of technical and conceptual approaches are introduced and practiced throughout the Upper and Lower Middle School years. The artist within is nurtured, challenged, and strengthened.

Drawing Techniques (1x

per week)

This course is designed for seventh and eighth graders who have a special interest in developing their technical drawing skills, and learning the “rules” behind representational drawing (for one must know the “rules” if one is to ever break them!). We will practice creating three-dimensional objects in a two-dimensional space through the use of highly technical approaches like perspective and value. We “draw from the inside out” by breaking complicated objects down into more manageable shapes, and apply our understanding of these techniques to advanced exercises ranging from architectural drawing to observational figure drawing and portraiture, and everything in between. Throughout the year we become familiar with a variety of drawing methods and media, and students have an opportunity to develop and share their own individual drawing styles in a fun and collaborative environment. With just a pencil and a piece of paper, anything is possible!

Graffiti

& Street Art (1x per week)

This course will use non-toxic materials, particularly colored pencil, markers, and acrylic paint, while focusing on the aesthetic and historical development of both genres.

Sculpture (2x per week)

Carving, casting, gluing, molding, shaping, bending, pushing, pulling, and perhaps even 3D printing. This sculpture course is designed to celebrate non-digital, three-dimensional reality by any creative means necessary. Hammers, chisels, sandpaper, aluminum, wood, concrete, plaster, and clay are just some of the materials that may be on our pallet. This course will provide students with an immersive working experience, involving both mind and body. Note: This course has limited enrollment.

Computer Science

Computer Animation (2x per week)

Let’s make a sequence of images that have the illusion of life—tell a compelling story, grab attention and emotion, perhaps defy the laws of physics, or create abstract motion. Furthermore, let’s study principles of animation, so our stories are easy to follow and the characters don’t seem “off.” We will learn the basics—planning, walk-cycles, timing, lighting, 3D modeling, and stop motion—using the computer, storyboards, drawings, cutouts, and puppets. Students also view and discuss the work of other animators.

3D Design and Prototyping (2x per week)

There is an engineer and an artist in all of us, and learning to design and print in 3D unites them both. Careful planning and measuring are used in the service of creative visions, and the process of printing failures is a way to get comfortable with the iterative design process and cultivate patience, problem-solving, and grit. Different software and approaches will be covered over the year, leaving students with a toolbox of skills. Students are also challenged to think critically about design, asking how the world can be improved for more people by coming up with better solutions to problems.

Programming I (2x per week)

Introduction to logic and computer languages. Be prepared to concentrate and experiment: we won’t spend any time drawing pictures, but we will write programs (just using words and numbers) to find prime factors, for example, and to make 3D characters walk, talk, and fly about the screen, perhaps with parachutes and keyboard control. Prerequisite(s): Computer I or instructor’s permission.

Programming II (2x per week)

A continuation of Programming I with more advanced material, including Python or the languages in the Java/Python/Javascript family. Prerequisite(s): Programming I or instructor’s permission.

Programming III (2x per week)

This is an advanced programming course that focuses on making games and web pages. Prerequisite(s): Programming II or instructor’s permission.

Design and Engineering Lab I (2x per week)

Design and Engineering Lab II (2x per week)

Students connect microcontrollers and transducers to make devices respond to a wide range of human physical actions. Perhaps make a mask with glowing eyes, or feed your fish remotely when you are away. Use skills with craft and technology to improve life. We build projects from schematic diagrams, make programs based on class examples, and make devices talk to one another. Topics may include: networking protocols and topologies; mobile objects and wireless networks; digital logic and numbering systems. Students create a digital portfolio to document their work and research. Prerequisite(s): Physical Computing I or instructor’s permission.

Mathematics

Mathematical Art (2x per week)

step we also work on our own mathematical art and incredible creations in a collaborative workshop environment.

Math Team (2x per week)

Recreational Arts

Karate I (1x per week)

Karate II (1x per week)

This course is for students who have completed one year of karate at Saint Ann’s. It focuses on material for the yellow-belt rank and above. A gi (karate uniform) is both required and provided.

Middle School Exercise (1x per week)

This course provides an introduction to various forms of exercise and conditioning which may include strength and cardiovascular training, fitness walks, climbing, yoga, group games, and sport skills.

Yoga (1x per week)

This course introduces the ancient discipline of personal development that balances the body, mind, and spirit. Students will learn a series of traditional asanas (poses) which will improve skeletal alignment and increase muscular strength and flexibility. The class will explore many styles of yoga from a gentle Hatha sequence to a more vigorous Vinyasa flow. Students will also study meditation and breathing techniques to promote relaxation and to help alleviate the stress of daily teenage life. Yoga students are encouraged to wear clothing in which they can comfortably move and stretch.

Science

Biodiversity (2x per week)

Science in Science Fiction (1x per week)

Sustainable Earth (2x per week)

In this course we will explore, discuss, and design solutions for environmental challenges. We’ll look at nature as a blueprint for creating sustainable solutions, as well as ways technology can help reduce our carbon footprint in the face of changing climate. Critical issues around climate justice will be included, along with projects like designing city models to protect from intense weather events and tinkering with wind energy technology. Field trips are planned to gather data from our local environment.

Specialty Courses

A Legacy of Resistance: A Black Studies Course (2x per week)

This course is an interdisciplinary survey of the experiences and expressions of African descended people in the United States and beyond from before the transatlantic slave trade to the present. In this course, the voices of Black people are prioritized in the selection of course materials which include primary historical documents, personal narrative/memoir, poetry, narrative fiction, scholarly writings, visual art, and multimedia materials. Embracing the Akan concept of Sankofa, which encourages an awareness of historical antecedents to contemporary experience, we will move chronologically through works that reflect the responses of Black people to their lived experiences from the colonial period till today. Using the tools of literary, cultural, and historical analysis we will consider the texts through the prism of the following overarching questions:

1. What defines Blackness?

2. How does Blackness inform and intersect with gender, class, sexuality, and other identities?

3. What does resistance to racist oppression look like?

4. How does any given work speak to contemporary social, political, and cultural life?

Students will be expected to read independently and respond to the course materials in class discussions, regular short response essays, and a substantial culminating project which might include written research, oral presentation, performance or other creative expression.

Middle School Literary Magazine

The Middle School Literary Magazine is created by a board of students and faculty advisers whose goal is to find and publish excellent Upper and Lower Middle School writing. The Board (generally about 18 students) meets once a week to discuss and select poetry and prose. In addition, board members prepare all selections for layout. Students who are interested should be prepared to read all submissions in advance of meetings, and to participate in every discussion about every piece. Note: Lit Mag will take place from November through May and may be scheduled during a lunch period. Permission from faculty dean required.

Middle School Newspaper: The Owl (1x per week)

Oratory and Rhetoric (1x per week)

Students invent, set, and artfully present their own ideas. Various discursive philosophies and rhetorical methods are explored. In the spring, students are invited to test their speaking skills and legislative proposals at Model Congress. This course is open to anyone with mental stamina and a desire to speak in a formal setting.

Poetry (1x per week)

A workshop—a place where things are made with tools. We experiment; we play with words, ideas, and the devices people use to make poems. We read poems and we make poems.

8 TH GRADE: GENERAL INFO

Registration for your final year of Upper Middle School is similar to previous years—choices abound! Current seventh grade students will meet with a dean or member of the Upper Middle School Office to review their course selections. You are always welcome to get in touch with the Upper Middle School Office with questions before or after your individual meeting. As always, your families should feel free to call or email our office with their questions as well.

Requirements for Eighth Grade Students:

Art

Health

Language

Math

Students are automatically scheduled into an art class. Additional art electives are also available.

Eighth grade students are scheduled into a health class meeting once each week. Eighth grade students are presented with a comprehensive approach to studying sexuality, communication, technology, and decision-making. The goal is to provide students with concrete and accurate information so that they can make the best personal choices for themselves both now and in the future. Once a month high school mentors join the class to discuss the transition into High School.

Students must enroll in at least one language course in eighth grade. Ideally, students should continue the language(s) they studied in seventh grade. Students are able to take more than one language in consultation with their dean.

Eighth Grade students take Algebra I, a high school level course, for credit. See page 43 for more information.

Music Students must take at least one music course. Additional music courses can be selected as electives as well.

Recreational Arts

Theater

Students must take at least one theater course. Additional theater courses can be selected as electives as well.

8 TH GRADE: ALGEBRA

Algebra I

All eighth grade students take this high school level math course. Completion of this course results in credit appearing on a student’s high school transcript. Should a student fail to demonstrate mastery of the material through a combination of class participation, homework, quizzes, and tests, they are obligated to either retake Algebra I elsewhere or repeat the course in ninth grade. Credit is determined by the teacher near the end of the school year, and students and parents will be notified of the possibility of not receiving credit in advance of this determination, giving them ample time to address the issue.

In Algebra I, students learn to generalize the laws of arithmetic and perform the four operations on variable expressions. They develop their ability to model and solve word problems by assigning variables to unknown quantities and determining the precise relationship between constant and variable terms. Students apply the laws of equality in order to solve a wide variety of equations and proportions. Through the process of graphing the solution sets of linear equations on the Cartesian plane, students gain familiarity with the concepts of slope and intercept. They find simultaneous solutions to systems of equations and apply factoring in order to find the roots of quadratic equations. All of these activities promote both arithmetic and algebraic fluency.

8 TH GRADE: LANGUAGES

What To Expect

Eighth Graders may study ancient Greek, Chinese, French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish.

Note on Spanish and French: Eighth graders may not take both simultaneously, except in rare cases (for example, two-plus years of sustained study). Permission of the Division Head and Chair of the Romance Languages Department is required.

Note on Japanese: Japanese 1 is a highly demanding high school course. Permission of the Division Head and Chair of the Classics & Asian Languages Department is required.

Note on dropping a language: Students who wish to stop taking their seventh grade language must consult with their dean and submit written permission from their families along with their language selection sheet.

Ancient Greek I

In this course we study the language of ancient Greece. Starting with the alphabet and sound system, we move to the fundamentals of grammar—how phrases and clauses are made— and build a vocabulary to encounter Greek speakers in their original language as quickly as possible. We study the dialect from Athens in the fifth century BCE, using myths and stories, textbooks, flashcards, and wordlists, as well as inscriptions and archeological evidence. By the end of the year, we will have a command of basic syntax.

High School Intensive Ancient Greek

This is a fast-paced course that covers the essential morphology and syntax of Attic Greek. Memorization of grammar and vocabulary are stressed in order to facilitate the reading of texts quickly, aiming to encounter Greek speakers on their terms. Our systematic acquisition of forms and vocabulary covers the material of Ancient Greek I and Ancient Greek II in one year. Permission of the Division Head and the Classics Department Chair is required.

Ancient Greek II

This course continues the work begun in Ancient Greek I. Review of forms and syntax is followed by the study of more advanced material. Students make the transition to longer, more connected texts. The year culminates in selected readings from ancient prose authors (e.g., Plato, Aristophanes, Xenophon). Prerequisite(s): Ancient Greek 1.

Chinese II

In the second year, we transition into the textbook series Integrated Chinese. Students will continue to hone their pronunciation, write and memorize characters, master essential sentence structures, focus on making conversations for functional and daily life situations, and explore culture. Prerequisite(s): Chinese 1.

Accelerated Chinese

This course is designed for students who are heritage speakers, and covers two years in one. We use the textbook series Integrated Chinese, and students will take Chinese 3 the following year upon completion. We master the pronunciation system (pinyin), recognize and write simplified characters (traditional characters can be accommodated upon request), master essential sentence structures, focus on making conversations for functional and daily life situations, and explore culture. Prerequisite(s): Permission of Division Head and Director of the Chinese Program.

French Beginner II

Building on the fundamentals of French syntax taught in French Beginner I, students in this course broaden their understanding of grammatical structures and considerably extend their vocabulary base. They develop their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills through conversational activities, written assignments, and readings of simple texts. Emphasis is placed on mastery of the present and past tenses of regular and irregular verbs, the rules of agreement, the use of the partitive, interrogatives, and all personal pronouns. Classes are taught chiefly in French, and accurate pronunciation is stressed. Activities using multimedia reinforce learning and encourage students to approach the language orally.

High School French I

This course is for students who are learning French for the first time, as well as for those second year students who would benefit from another full year of instruction to solidify their knowledge and usage of the fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on sentence structure and oral expression. Students work to acquire elementary conversational skills and learn vocabulary through texts and review exercises. This class also uses internet-based interactive activities to practice and retain material. Accurate pronunciation is encouraged.

Japanese I

The first year of Japanese focuses on building students’ foundations in the language. While students take in the two phonetic systems, hiragana and katakana, they learn basic grammar including distinctive aspects of the language such as the use of markers. Numerous expressions and patterns that are needed to construct sentences to function in various social situations are also introduced. Additionally, students continuously explore Japanese culture and traditions from ancient periods to the current “pop” trends. Each year, students have face-to-face exposure to various Japanese artists. Even though it is an introductory course, Japanese I is a highly rigorous and demanding one that follows a college-level curriculum and requires permission of the Division Head and Chair of the Classics & Asian Languages Department.

Latin Beginner II

This course begins with a fast-paced review of the forms and syntax from Latin Beginner I, and then jumps into more complicated topics of syntax—the subjunctive, participles, subordination, comparatives, deponents, etc. Students acquire the knowledge to read excerpts from Latin authors. In doing so, they develop the habits needed to read comfortably and confidently; moreover, they gain an appreciation for the peoples in the ancient world under or around Rome’s sway. Prerequisite(s): Latin Beginner I.

High School Latin I

This course is for students interested in learning seventh and eighth grade Latin in a single year. It focuses on Latin forms, syntax, and vocabulary in order to facilitate the reading of Latin as quickly as possible. Starting at tombstones and graffiti, ending at unadapted literature, the course also touches on the mythology, history, and social realities of the ancient world.

Spanish Beginner II

Building on the fundamentals of Spanish syntax taught in Spanish Beginner I, students in this course broaden their understanding of grammatical structures and considerably extend their vocabulary base. They develop their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills through conversational activities, written assignments, and readings of simple texts. Emphasis is placed on mastery of the present and past tenses of regular and irregular verbs, the rules of agreement, the interrogatives, and all personal pronouns. Classes are taught chiefly in Spanish and accurate pronunciation is stressed. Activities using multimedia reinforce learning and encourage students to approach the language orally.

High School Spanish I

This course is for students who are learning Spanish for the first time, as well as for those second year students who would benefit from another full year of instruction to solidify their knowledge and usage of the fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on sentence structure and oral expression. Students work to acquire elementary conversational skills and learn vocabulary through texts and review exercises. This class also uses internet-based interactive activities to practice and retain material. Accurate pronunciation is encouraged.

8 TH GRADE: MUSIC

Each student should carefully choose a first, second, and third choice of music class. The department will make every effort to see that each student receives his or her first choice, given the number of sections available in each instrument category.

Students’ ongoing progress is evaluated through checklist and anecdotal reports, and each spring we assess instrumental students to ensure appropriate placement for the following year. The Music Department faculty appropriately places those students wishing to begin ensemble study. While the specific number and composition of ensembles will inevitably change from year to year, for the upcoming year students may choose Brass Techniques, Camerata, Jazz Techniques, or Wind Ensemble.

Music Technology

Music Lab I (2x per week)

This class is an exploration of basic compositional methods, production, and keyboard musicianship through the use of electronic musical instruments, computers, and a variety of compositional, production, and instructional software. This is all taught against the backdrop of various styles of popular musical genres spanning hip hop, R&B, electronic music such as EDM and pop. Students develop increased fluency in note-reading, ear-training, listening, keyboarding, and music vocabulary throughout the course work.

Students with little or no experience playing the keyboard should be open to developing a strong literacy of the keyboard and the dexterity necessary to play simple musical passages. A significant portion of the school year will be devoted to the development of these keyboarding skills. This course is designed to stimulate student growth in piano through the use of performance, basic theory and listening. Students will be learning beginning pieces based on this course work. All students will also complete work in beginning music theory combined with an application to popular music genres giving them the knowledge necessary to form a lifelong enjoyment of music.

Goals include:

1. Beginning to understand the concepts surrounding making music with technology;

2. Playing simple piano passages with basic proper technique;

3. Performing alone and with others;

4. Reading music notation;

5. Composing and constructing musical ideas within specific guidelines using electronic music making software and techniques.

Music Lab II (2x per week)

A course for students who have already taken Music Lab I, Music Lab II continues the development of skills and techniques learned in the first year of study. However, importantly, this class focuses on a deeper look at music technology through the use of more complex technologies and the further developing of keyboard skills at times above other musical endeavors in the music lab. The overall focus of this class becomes the development of musical skills that are required to move forward as a music technologist as well as the exploration of more advanced technologies. Students must also be open to singing and matching pitches as the class explores ear-training as part of the pursuit of basic musicianship. Course goals include:

1. Furthering of keyboarding skills and playing technique;

2. Working with and exposure to industry standard current music technologies;

3. Composing music within specific guidelines;

4. Improvising following the standard blues chord progression;

5. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music;

6. Understanding the relationship between music and the world beyond the school setting;

7. Ear-training and singing intervals.

Prerequisite(s): Music Lab I or adequate experience, and permission of the instructor.

Music & Culture

Storytelling through Music and Song (2x per week)

World Music (2x per week)

Instrumental Study

Beginning I, Continuing II

Students in the instrumental study program must either provide their own instruments or rent them through the school.

Bassoon I, Guitar (Beginning & Advanced), Saxophone I & II, Trombone I

These courses are a beginning or continuation study of these instruments. All students are expected to practice their instrument for at least 20 minutes a day.

Performing Ensembles

The Music Department offers the following ensembles based on both student need and interest. If you are interested in joining an ensemble, we recommend you select two from the following choices. Speak with your current instrument teacher if you want to know more about any group. Please note that ensemble classes are of mixed instrumentation and the focus is on developing musicianship and ensemble skills, rather than technique particular to each instrument.

Brass Techniques (2x per week)

Horn and trumpet students beginning their third or fourth year of brass study or trombone beginning their second year of study are combined into one ensemble. Playing in two, three, and four-part harmony, students explore ensemble playing while at the same time building solid fundamentals of technique and musicianship. This class will regularly combine with Wind Ensemble students to create a large concert band. Private lessons are encouraged for students in this class.

Camerata (2x per week)

Jazz Techniques (2x per week)

This class is for all instrumentalists, and focuses on jazz improvisation and ensemble playing. Instruction in basic scales and chords provides a vocabulary for improvisation. Students are introduced to the jazz repertoire. All instrumentalists and vocalists should be able to demonstrate a grasp of major and minor scales and chords as well as good reading skills. Except for piano, electric bass, and drums, students must provide their own instruments or rent them from the school. Audition required, and once enrolled, private lessons are encouraged for students in this class

Middle School Singers (2x per week)

Wind Ensemble (2x per week)

The Wind Ensemble combines woodwind and brass instruments. We develop musical and technical skills by studying compositions from a wide variety of styles, composers, and time periods. This class will regularly be combined with the Brass Techniques students to create a large concert band. Private lessons are encouraged for students in this ensemble.

8 TH GRADE: THEATER

Overview

Eighth grade students must choose at least one course. In eighth grade, students are not automatically placed in a theater class. Instead, students have a wide variety from which to select. Wide enough, in fact, that it is possible for a student to satisfy our theater requirement without necessarily finding an acting class on their schedule. Additional theater classes may be selected as electives as well.

African Dance (1 double period per week)

The Art of Comedy (1x per week)

In this energetic and exciting introduction to comic acting, students build characters by working with masks, developing funny walks, improvising silent and verbal scenes, and trying their hand at comedy sketch writing and directing. Clowning, developing comic bits, and slapstick are all a part of our playful time together. We will also watch comedians and comic performances from around the world and examine the technique behind getting the laugh. While students explore this spirited and physical style of theater, they continue to work with the improvisation exercises and theater games familiar from Upper and Lower Middle School theater classes. Working with scripted comic scenes from theater, film, and television leads us towards developing a workshop performance in the spring. This course is open to those interested in ensemble work, silliness, and risk-taking.

Costume Production (1x per week)

Come join our sewing circle. Through production work for our divisional shows and personal projects, students in this class will steadily build a foundation of machine and hand sewing skills as they also learn about costume history, the rudiments of pattern making and a variety of textile crafts. All steps of the design process, from sketching to construction, will be covered.

Double Theater (1 double period per week)

Filmmaking (1 double period per week)

In the first semester of this class we delve into cinematic technique and theory for the firsttime film director/screenwriter. These areas of study include camera direction, directing the actor, narrative structure, screenwriting and a survey of classic and contemporary cinema from around the world. In the second semester the class becomes a production workshop in which students work in groups to implement the techniques and theory they learned by writing, producing, casting, designing, directing, shooting, and editing a digital short film. Films from this class will be screened and celebrated as a part of our end of year film festival.

High Velocity Dance (1x per week)

In-the-Moment (1x per week)

The emphasis in this class will be in-the-moment. This will be an experiential and process oriented class rather than one focused on performance. Those who want to perform can do so in an informal way.

Playwriting (1 double period per week)

This course invites students to find their voices as young playwrights by generating dynamic material through various playwriting exercises and developing communication and reflection through classroom feedback and discussion. Students also practice collaboration and creative facilitation in the mid-year Playwriting Festival that takes place in late January/early February. The remainder of the year is dedicated to experiments in playwriting. Note: The Playwriting Festival is a central pillar of the course, requiring some weekend time for rehearsals leading up to the festival.

Puppetry (1x per week)

Puppetry Production (1 double period per week)

Technical Theater (1 double period per week)

8 TH GRADE: ELECTIVES

Arts

All students are automatically scheduled into a mixed media fine arts course meeting twice a week. This course explores visual expression through a wide range of materials, media, and dimensional formats. A variety of technical and conceptual approaches are introduced and practiced throughout the Upper and Lower Middle School years. The artist within is nurtured, challenged, and strengthened.

Drawing

Techniques (1x per week)

Graffiti

& Street Art (1x per week)

This course will use non-toxic materials, particularly colored pencil, markers, and acrylic paint, while focusing on the aesthetic and historical development of both genres.

Photography (2x per week)

Throughout the year we will explore a variety of photographic concepts and techniques, including analog and digital processes. Projects are designed to guide us as we expand our ideas about how to make and interpret photographic images. Note: This course has limited enrollment.

Sculpture (2x per week)

Carving, casting, gluing, molding, shaping, bending, pushing, pulling, and perhaps even 3D printing. This middle-school sculpture course is designed to celebrate non-digital, threedimensional reality by any creative means necessary. Hammers, chisels, sandpaper, aluminum, wood, concrete, plaster, and clay are just some of the materials that may be on our pallet. This course will provide students with an immersive working experience, involving both mind and body. Note: This course has limited enrollment.

Computer Science

Computer Animation

(2x per week)

Let’s make a sequence of images have the illusion of life—tell a compelling story, grab attention and emotion, perhaps defy the laws of physics, or create abstract motion. Furthermore, let’s study principles of animation, so our stories are easy to follow and the characters don’t seem “off.” We will learn the basics—planning, walk-cycles, timing, lighting, 3D modeling, and stop motion—using the computer, storyboards, drawings, cutouts, and puppets. Students also view and discuss the work of other animators. Prerequisite(s): Computer I or Programming I, or instructor’s permission.

3D Design and Prototyping (2x per week)

Programming I (2x per week)

Programming II (2x per week)

A continuation of Programming I with more advanced material, including Python or languages in the Java/Python/Javascript family. Prerequisite(s): Programming I or instructor’s permission.

Programming III (2x per week)

This is an advanced programming course that focuses on making games and web pages. Prerequisite(s): Programming II or instructor’s permission.

Design and Engineering Lab I (2x per week)

Design and Engineering Lab II (2x per week)

Mathematics

Mathematical Art (2x per week)

step we also work on our own mathematical art and incredible creations in a collaborative workshop environment.

Math Team (2x per week)

Recreational Arts

Inward Bound (1x per week)

This course challenges the body and mind through group games, conditioning, and individual and collective goals. Students set goals and attempt to reach them by working together and offering group support.

Karate I (1x per week)

Karate II (1x per week)

This course is for students who have completed one year of karate at Saint Ann’s. It focuses on material for the yellow-belt rank and above. A gi (karate uniform) is both required and provided.

Middle School Exercise (1x per week)

Yoga (1x per week)

Science

Science in Science Fiction (1x per week)

Sustainable Earth (2x per week)

Specialty Courses

A Legacy of Resistance: A Black Studies Course (2x per week)

1. What defines Blackness?

2. How does Blackness inform and intersect with gender, class, sexuality, and other identities?

3. What does resistance to racist oppression look like?

4. How does any given work speak to contemporary social, political, and cultural life?

Middle School Literary Magazine

The Middle School Literary Magazine is created by a board of students and faculty advisers whose goal is to find and publish excellent Upper and Lower Middle School writing. The Board (generally about 18 students) meets once a week to discuss and select poetry and prose. In addition, board members prepare all selections for layout. Students who are interested should be prepared to read all submissions in advance of meetings, and to participate in every discussion about every piece. Please note: Lit Mag will take place from November through May and may be scheduled during a lunch period. Permission from faculty dean required.

Middle School Newspaper: The Owl (1x per week)

Oratory and Rhetoric (1x per week)

Poetry (1x per week)

A workshop—a place where things are made with tools. We experiment; we play with words, ideas, and the devices people use to make poems. We read poems and we make poems.

NOTES

Artwork by: Nina B., 6th Grade