As a teacher and an advisor, I am an ally, not an adversary. It’s a very hard role: balancing advocacy with discipline. We’re teaching accountability here. Grade 7 teacher / advisor

Park’s Upper Division builds on students’ elementary preparation, producing flexible thinkers, engaged learners, and competent and curious scholars. Growing up at Park, adolescents develop a deep understanding and self-awareness of their own learning process, all while being known and supported by the community that surrounds them. After Park, they enter the world with knowledge and skills that will help them to excel in high school, as well as a sense of confidence, a joy for learning, and a hunger for the next intellectual endeavor.

Adolescents Thrive at Park

Grades 5–8 are the years of the emerging adolescent identity. And at Park, it’s a time when students get ample opportunity to excel academically and socially, to hone their skills, and discover their passions. Park’s Upper Division intentionally strikes a balance between academic rigor and creative exploration; high expectations and emotional support; becoming future-ready while preserving the simplicity and sincerity of childhood.

We know that children ages 10-15 are motivated by four dominant needs: competence, relationship, autonomy, and fun. When these needs are met, adolescents, who are developing independence and a sense of self, engage with rigorous learning, and thrive. We provide a unique setting where, as the oldest cohort of students, fifth through eighth graders lead the School with an authentic and earned sense of maturity. They have ample opportunities to excel academically and socially while honing their skills, discovering their passions, and trying something new.

The Four Needs and How We Meet Them

Children ages 11–15 are governed by four dominant needs: competence, relationship, autonomy, and fun. When these needs are met, adolescents can thrive and achieve their potential.

Meeting the Need for Competence

Meeting the Need for Relationships

Strong and positive connections, including those with peers, are essential for adolescents to thrive. At Park, we curate opportunities for students to practice the essential social-emotional skills needed to build trust and effectively navigate conflict. Upper Division students also benefit from being the oldest students in the school, allowing them to be the “big kids” while avoiding pressures and distractions that can come in a high school setting.

Our Upper Division structure and programming, including Advisory and Growth Education, promote the skills of self-awareness, organization, digital citizenship, collaboration, and conflict resolution. With Park’s teachers and advisors, adolescents learn the essential skills of reflection and self-advocacy, so they graduate from the Upper Division feeling known by others and knowing themselves as individuals, students, and community members.

Upper Division Advisory – Each child is part of a small advisory group made up of 5–7 students and one teacher that meets daily. Advisory time is spent on activities ranging from team-building games to problem solving to reflection and goal setting. In Advisory, students experience a one-on-one relationship with an adult who knows them well and serves as their trusted consultant for academic, personal, and social development.

Meeting the Need for Autonomy

As adolescents move towards adulthood, they want more control and participation in decision-making. Upper Division students have many opportunities to explore and experiment with their own independence and leadership style in a safe and nurturing environment that encourages them to step out of their comfort zone.

At Park, students can act in a play or join a sports team without worrying about being cut from the roster, or they can explore and showcase their passion for artistic expression with audiences throughout the year. They can participate in and lead more than a dozen clubs, including: Model United Nations, Gender Sexuality Alliance, Math Club, Science Club, Green Club, Student Council, Service Council, Events Council and our multicultural club, Pangea. They can submit proposals of their own, such as the recently formed Dungeons & Dragons, Stock Market, Genetics, and Debate Clubs.

Athletics for Grades 6–8 – More than 90 percent of Upper Division students choose to play on our varsity, junior varsity, or sixth-grade teams in a variety of 16 individual and team sports. These interscholastic teams play one or two games per week and travel to other independent schools nearby to compete. Some eighth graders guide their peers as captains, which builds their capacity to lead others on and off the field.

Meeting the Need for Fun

Park is celebrated and known for preserving the joy of learning and community. We ensure that students’ need for fun is fulfilled in academic and social contexts. We recognize students’ need for light moments and movement. In class, low student-to-teacher ratios means that each child is known well, and the teacher-student rapport is rooted in trust and joy. Teachers make learning fun through conversation, humor, and classroom activity. Whether it’s games in Advisory, partnerships between Lower Division and Upper Division classes, dances, Advisory parties, or our cherished field day, Total Day, we believe in giving students times throughout the year to exhale and enjoy school.

Upper Division

Grade 5

The Grade 5 year provides an exciting transition between the Lower and Upper Divisions. Combining a homeroom teacher model with elements like foreign language, electives for art and music, and after-school sports, fifth graders can experience more independence. To provide more individualized instruction and differentiation in mathematics, students learn from a designated math teacher who is assisted by the homeroom teacher. A flexible schedule provides opportunities for collaboration across disciplines, such as math and science.

Students begin and end their day with their homeroom teacher, who also teaches humanities and important organizational and study skills. A focus on identity and belonging is woven throughout the year as students grapple with the questions: What does it mean to belong? How do we create a sense of belonging for our classroom community? Fifth graders learn to self-reflect on their strengths and challenges, set goals, and embrace a growth mindset. Students are held to high standards of positive citizenship, both online and offline, with an emphasis on respectful communication and problem solving. Participation in the ThinkGive program empowers students to choose kindness and lead with empathy.

Art

The Grade 5 art curriculum is focused on the elements and principles of three-dimensional design, which is an essential component of “design thinking.” Students use familiar materials – wood, wire, paper, cardboard, and foam core board – in new ways. Fifth graders are increasingly able to focus on long-term projects as they practice and develop hands-on skills while experimenting with new techniques to transform their ideas into artwork. The end goal is to allow each student’s artistic voice to shine through their work.

French, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish

The benefits of learning a new language include improved academic and cognitive development as well as language-specific skills. Research shows that students who study a new language demonstrate both better memory and problem-solving skills and illustrate increased understanding of their own language.* As language teachers, we are particularly passionate about world communities, and we aim to inspire curiosity and cross-cultural understanding in all of our classes.

We are proud to offer instruction in French, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish. Park students graduate having experienced four years of rich curriculum, focused on both communication skills and cultural awareness, and culminating with immersive international travel in Grade 8. Modern language courses at Park emphasize interpretive, presentational and interpersonal modes of communication and development of the four main skill areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Latin students focus on both history and grammar while building proficiency in vocabulary and translation.

In Grade 5, students engage with each of the four languages over the course of the year before starting to study one language full time in Grade 6. Language courses in Grades 7 and 8 build on the foundation established in Grade 6, continuing to develop the primary skills and communication modes.

*American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language What the Research Shows

Humanities

Anchored in our essential question, “What does it mean to belong?” Grade 5 students build on their repertoire of reading and writing skills through the content of our humanities focus: immigration. Using primary sources, biographies, podcasts, and books, students compare and contrast historical and contemporary events surrounding migration to the United States. Fifth graders investigate why people move, how the immigration process is complicated, and the positive impacts immigrants make in American society.

Students in Grade 5 read daily in books selected for personal interest, and books shared by a small group or the whole class. Students deepen their comprehension by reading more complex texts and analyzing character complexity and goals, conflict, the impact of setting on the story, theme, and symbolism. Grade 5 students practice discussing books by asking open-ended questions, building off one another's ideas, and supporting ideas with text evidence.

Students engage in narrative, informational, and persuasive writing, focusing on improving topic development, organization, and craft elements specific to each genre. Students also become researchers, taking notes, synthesizing and presenting information, and making arguments in written and oral form. Grade 5 students continue studying essential elements of grammar by analyzing and creating compound sentences. Students apply the skills taught to produce polished final drafts.

Through projects like identity artifacts museums, book club presentations, and free choice research, fifth graders deepen their understanding of their own identities and build empathy as they learn about others’ experiences.

Library

In their first year in Upper Division, Grade 5 students continue to practice selecting and curating print and digital materials. They expand their information seeking and critical thinking skills as they undertake research projects in collaboration with grade-level curriculum. Engaging games and activities further reinforce their understanding of how information is organized. The grade’s one-to-one iPad program extends into the library curriculum. Through the study of citation and copyright, students learn to evaluate and appropriately engage with online resources, including databases, curated websites, and ebooks. Students are encouraged to create and share their ideas and understanding through a variety of multimedia formats.

Grade 5 students visit the Library weekly with their Humanities teachers, and they are encouraged to use the Library more frequently and independently to explore individual interests. They enjoy book talks and participate in reading incentives, such as the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award. Author/illustrator visits remain an important component of the library curriculum.

Mathematics

In the Grade 5 math course, students build a strong foundation of mathematical knowledge while engaging in rich, meaningful, and cognitively demanding activities. With a focus on explanation and reasoning, students solidify multiplication and division skills, compute with decimals and fractions, engage in measuring area and perimeter, analyze and represent data, and explore patterns and algebraic thinking. The course emphasizes communicating mathematical concepts and looking for multiple pathways to solutions. Classes are sectioned heterogeneously with a focus on differentiated instruction, providing support and challenge to all students.

Students build connections between their math and science learning by analyzing and graphing the data collected during activities such as measuring growth rates of endangered turtles. This interdisciplinary work allows students to engage in the work of real scientists and mathematicians.

For further enrichment, students in grade five are invited to participate in optional math activities including five Math Olympiads which are offered throughout the year. Additionally, the Math Team provides an opportunity for fifth and sixth graders to explore, practice, and compete against local Brookline schools in five categories: problem-solving, patterns, operations, geometry and bases.

Music

Park’s music program helps to foster creativity, self-expression, and develop students’ music skills. In Grade 5, students can experience four areas of music: creating, performing, listening, and history.

In the weekly general music class, students learn through singing, playing instruments, and movement activities. Music literacy is emphasized, highlighting elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, and form. Additionally, students explore the historical, cultural, and social contexts of music.

Grade 5 students may also participate in an ensemble music experience once a week, choosing from String Ensemble, Band, Guitar, or Chorus. Students in ensembles perform in school wide community concerts throughout the year.

Music learning at Park is aligned with the National Association for Music Education standards.

Physical Education

In Grade 5 the Physical Education program aims to provide an opportunity for each student to combine mature locomotor and manipulative skills (ie. throwing, catching, striking, kicking on the move) in a variety of practice tasks. Students then demonstrate proficiency by performing these skills with accuracy while aiming at targets or applying movement concepts (ie. strategies, tactics, offense, defense).

Students participate in a variety of fitness activities to improve their functional movement (throw, jump, hinge, squat, push, pull, rotate) throughout the year. Students also analyze the impact of food choices relative to physical activity and personal health. Good sportsmanship and the enjoyment of working with others toward a common goal are integral to the program.

Science

The science curriculum in Grade 5 is organized around a series of real-world investigations that encourage students to explore and understand ecological processes in their local environment. For example, students participate in a year-long, citizen science research project raising hatchling Blanding’s Turtles, a locally threatened species, in partnership with Zoo New England. In addition to learning about their biology, students take weekly growth measurements and are responsible for their care. This conservation program culminates with a field trip in the spring where turtles are released back into their natural habitat.

Students begin the year studying ecosystems by setting up outdoor study stations and using ecological data to construct a schoolyard food web. In the late fall, students learn about the process of decomposition through conducting controlled experiments that will challenge them to learn the skills of a scientist with an emphasis on using evidence and reasoning to support their scientific claims. Students then apply what they’ve learned about scientific research to independently design group research projects to examine plant growth. The year concludes with a study of the health of the local watershed and the importance of water as a natural resource.

Throughout the year, students are at the center of their learning, working together to solve problems, make decisions, and organize their work. As students ask each other questions such as, “How can we figure that out?” “What does the evidence say?”, they not only build scientific understanding, but also an awareness of their own growth as inquirers. An emphasis is placed on students becoming creative, self-confident thinkers with the ability to put scientific knowledge and skills into action.

Grade 5 science classes meet three times each week in two 50-minute sessions and one 80-minute session.

Grade 6

Sixth graders are creative, energetic, and hardworking. They are excited about the many new opportunities before them and ready to take on increased responsibilities. The Grade 6 year is structured so that it provides an intentional transition to a departmental model. Students take five academic classes: math, science, English, social studies, and a world language. English and social studies are taught together and have the feel of a homeroom. Each of the remaining subjects is taught by a different teacher and students travel independently to different classrooms for the first time. Academic work in the sixth grade is a balance between assignments that demand a new level of depth and more abstract thinking and the teaching of specific skills and strategies. In addition to their academic classes, all students enjoy art, physical education, and music classes and have the opportunity to join numerous clubs (for example, Green Club, Newspaper Club or math teams) and to play on Park athletic teams or perform in Park drama productions. Starting in Grade 5, each Upper Division student is part of a small advisory group made up of a small group of students and one teacher. This group meets daily. The three purposes of advisory are academic advising, community and communication, and relationships and recreation.

The year is characterized by the enthusiasm and curiosity of eleven- and twelve-year-olds and the delight with which they design and build a model house, read Shakespeare, wear a Park athletic uniform, program robots, study a language, and much, much more.

Grade 7

On the cusp of their teenage years, seventh graders manifest a vast range of physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Some are still firmly planted in pre-adolescence, while others yearn for more guided independence. The seventh grade program at Park recognizes the strengths and needs of twelve-and thirteen-year-old students, both in and out of the classroom, with increased responsibilities and program offerings.

To foster abstract-thinking skills, seventh-grade assignments encourage students to formulate opinions, articulate ideas, and make connections in their learning. The school year includes increased homework expectations, the introduction of letter grades, and final exams in some subjects. Group work and long-term projects provide arenas for practicing social interactions, growing competence, and building autonomy. A highlight of the Grade 7 curriculum is a class trip to Washington DC. Designed to bring students’ American history curriculum to life, this four-day trip lets them learn from local historians, primary sources, and historical landmarks. The seventh graders thrive in their earned autonomy while practicing the skills of being Park ambassadors in the world.

Extracurricular activities tend to take on new importance at this age, both socially and in developing a specific skill or passion. To this end, Park offers opportunities to seventh grade students for involvement in Student Council, Service Council, community service/service learning, competitive after-school sports, after-school drama, and a variety of clubs. The continuation of the advisory program provides time for students to work with their advisors in becoming more proactive, independent learners. Learning to recognize one’s own strengths and struggles, learning the skill of how to ask for help, and working with and for others are the themes that run throughout Grade 7.

Art

Grade 7 students enter their final years in the art program with a core knowledge of art principles and techniques learned throughout their studio time at Park. The focus for Grade 7 is on developing a unique artistic identity through exploration, honing of skills, and risk taking. Students will document work in progress, as well as images of completed projects as they begin to compile a digital portfolio.

This year, students focus on transforming a 2D design into 3D form. Seventh graders examine proportion and gesture, and experiment with capturing movement in a still image. Beginning with building a proportional wire armature skeleton, students learn the steps of constructing three-dimensional human form. Students are encouraged to express their identity and style as they make independent choices about use of paint, collage and other materials.

As students explore developing 3D form and representing identity through visual imagery, they build confidence by sharing ideas and feedback with peers. Critical student engagement, analysis and voice will contribute to an in-depth artist study project, culminating in student-created instructional Padlets.

During the year, seventh graders will spend one trimester in art class.

Arts Electives

Students in Grades 7 and 8 select courses from a range of semester-long arts electives in Music, Drama and Visual Art. These semester-long electives will be offered in 50-minute and 80-minute blocks.

Visual Art elective offerings for seventh and eighth graders may include Drawing and Painting, Print to Clay, The Human Figure, Mixed Media Art, 3D Studio: Sculpture, Fiber Art (Craftivism), and Wood, Wire, and Glass.

Drama elective offerings may include Improv Troupe, Puppet Shorts, DIY Play, and Writing for Theater. These courses are designed to give students a chance to build drama skills in particular areas that are central to the work of drama: acting and improv, analyzing and writing, collaboration and communication, and of course to boost their overall confidence. Some classes are performance based, while others focus on technical and artistic skills surrounding the theater arts.

Music elective offerings may include Drumline, Ukulele, and Music Theory Marathon.

Music Ensemble offerings include Chorus, Guitar, and Orchestral Ensemble. Ensembles are a yearlong commitment that meet in an 80-minute block. Students in ensembles perform in school wide community concerts throughout the year.

English

In Grade 7, English students engage deeply with literature and the written word. Students participate in discussions around the importance and significance of stories and literature in our lives: why stories matter, and how the study of narratives help us understand our world and others. Students learn to fully engage with texts, and much of class time is devoted to meaningful discussions of literature, with an emphasis on both literal and figurative interpretations. Texts studied during the year include S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, Jason Reynold’s Look Both Ways, poetry, and Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss their ideas and perspectives, and an emphasis is placed on developing students’ skills in the joyful give and take that occurs in rich classroom conversations.

Writing is part of students’ daily experience in English class, and learn to develop confidence in expressing their ideas on paper. Seventh graders frequently write in journals, work on smaller analytical and creative pieces, and compose multiple formal, analytical essays, and various personal pieces. Emphasis is placed on examining multiple viewpoints, interpreting authors' styles and choices, analyzing poetry, and the personal narrative. Students are directly taught the writing process: the skills of outlining, summarizing, and editing. Emphasis is placed on composing logical and well-supported paragraphs. A mid-year grammar unit is taught to bolster students' skills, and vocabulary is taught through daily class work.

French, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish

We are proud to offer instruction in French, Latin, Mandarin and Spanish. Park students graduate having experienced four years of rich curriculum, focused on both communication skills and cultural awareness, and culminating with immersive international travel in Grade 8. Modern language courses at Park emphasize interpretive, presentational and interpersonal modes of communication and development of the four main skill areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Latin students focus on both history and grammar while building proficiency in vocabulary and translation.

In Grade 5, students engage with each of the four languages over the course of the year before making a choice about which language they prefer to study full time starting in Grade 6. Language courses in Grades 7 and 8 build on the foundation established in Grade 6, continuing to develop the primary skills and communication modes.

*American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language What the Research Shows

Library

Grade 7 students come to the Library for scheduled classes throughout the year to continue their explorations in literature and expand their knowledge of a variety of information sources and formats. Through extensive use of materials in both print and digital formats, students connect library resources to their studies in all areas of the curriculum and hone their independent research skills. The students continue to explore, curate, and engage with material which will serve them throughout their school lives. The librarians and classroom teachers collaborate as specific projects are undertaken. On demand book talks remain a component of the library curriculum, designed to further students’ reading enjoyment and discerning use of books and other media for information and pleasure. The Library Makerspace area is accessible for students to personalize their use and presentation of information as well as a space to relax and make during down time.

Mathematics: Pre-Algebra

In Pre-Algebra, seventh graders develop an understanding of integers to create algebraic expressions and solve multi-step equations. Students use this knowledge to expand their understanding of ratios, proportions, and percents. Geometry is incorporated in numerous areas as a means to deepen understanding as well as in units on 3-D geometry and the pythagorean theorem. In addition to standard PreAlgebra topics, seventh graders generate, analyze and represent data using various methods in a unit on statistics and data. Students apply their understanding of data to measure central tendency and probability. A highlight of the year is the “Probability Carnival” where students create their own games and analyze the data collected. Practical applications are emphasized throughout the year. Students continuously hone problem-solving skills and are encouraged to maintain computation skills using real world scenarios.

Students are sectioned to work with peers who learn at a similar pace and perform at a similar level in math. All sections are taught the same topics; some classes may learn some topics in greater depth or in a different order.

For further enrichment, students are invited to participate in Math Olympiads and MathCounts Club. Math Olympiads are offered five times throughout the year. MathCounts practices are held weekly leading up to an annual regional competition in the winter; successful teams advance to future rounds.

Music

Park’s music program helps to foster creativity, self-expression, and develop students’ music skills. The Grade 7 curriculum is designed for students to experience four areas of music: creating, performing, listening, and history. Seventh graders spend one trimester in a twice weekly general music class. In addition, students have the option to participate in a weekly year-long performance ensemble, choosing from Band, Drumline, Chorus, or String Ensemble.

Grade 7 students continue to build upon their knowledge of music theory from previous years. Faculty emphasize melody, rhythm, harmony, timbre, and musical form throughout all music activities, while providing the historical, cultural, and social context of the music. In addition, students develop their self-confidence and an appreciation for the physical and mental discipline of musical performance, while also learning to be adept critical listeners and polite, supportive audience members.

General music and ensemble instruction at Park is aligned with the National Association for Music Education standards.

Physical Education

In Grade 7 the Physical Education program encourages each student to use their fundamental skills and progress at their own rate. Activities include dance and rhythm, juggling, sports specific skills associated with invasion games (basketball, soccer, team handball, football), net/wall games, outdoor pursuits, individual performance activities, target games, and track & field. Cooperative activities and group challenges are also an important part of the curriculum. Throughout all activities, students are encouraged to be joyful learners, strive for their personal best, and exhibit good sportsmanship.

Students perform various functional movement screen corrective exercises and then use the FITT formula (frequency, intensity, time, type) to design and implement an individual fitness program based on their fitness assessment. Students also develop strategies for balancing healthy food, snacks and hydration along with their physical activity. Lastly, students identify and practice strategies for dealing with stress such as deep breathing, guided visualization, and aerobic exercise.

Science: Earth Science

In Grade 7 science, students take a closer look at Earth and how it has changed over time. Students are introduced to the concept that the rocks and landforms on Earth tell a unique story and those stories can be revealed through direct observation, interactive lab activities & simulations, and model making. The Grand Canyon is used as an anchor in the exploration of how earth has changed over long time periods. Change over shorter time intervals is explored through individual sites on campus and/or at student’s homes which are monitored through direct observation and data collection on a monthly basis. The culminating project for the year challenges students to apply their understanding of earth's processes to create a story of a rock, from its origin 4.6 billion years ago to today.

Using the development of the Theory of Plate Tectonics as an example, students are exposed to the dynamic nature of scientific thinking and gain perspective on how scientific ideas change over time as new information is discovered.

Social Studies: United States

Grade 7 students explore the lives and ideas of early Americans and examine the events that shaped the development of the United States from pre-Colonial indigenous peoples through the Civil War and Reconstruction. In considering this history, seventh graders encounter the ways that events in history look different depending on whose point of view is represented, and they discover the importance of considering multiple points of view in understanding history and its relationship to the present. Students study a number of topics, including geography in historical context, the American Revolution, the foundations of constitutional government, slavery and the abolitionist movement, westward expansion, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. Acknowledging that people of all races, ethnicities, and walks of life contributed to American development, the course primarily considers the experiences and points of view of three groups: European Americans, African Americans, and American Indians. Throughout the year, students grapple with a unifying question: “What does it mean to be an American?” Along the way, students also look at how the country’s past continues to shape and influence its present.

A meaningful class trip to Washington, D.C. complements this yearlong study of American history. Trip highlights may include a day on Capitol Hill, a lawmaking simulation, and visits to museums such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This is an exciting opportunity for students to travel and learn together in the nation’s capital.

During Grade 7, students continue to practice and refine essential social studies skills, including discussion and debate, public speaking and presentation, the use of historical maps and chronologies, close reading of texts, analytical and expository writing, and the study of primary sources (both written and oral). Research skills such as note-taking, outlining, synthesizing, and citing one’s sources lead to the drafting and revision of a short research paper. The school year concludes with a current events project that asks students to make clear connections between the historical past and the present day.

Grade 8

The Park School’s culminating year offers students opportunities to strengthen and broaden their minds through rigorous coursework, to participate in competitive athletics, and to specialize in artistic, dramatic, and elective musical endeavors. The eighth grade curriculum demands abstract thinking and deep questioning that leads to joyful learners, mindful leaders and skillful communicators.

Throughout the year, eighth graders focus on leadership and service both to the School and the broader community so that students graduate from The School as practiced advocates ready to take positive risks in high school. Opportunities are woven throughout academic and extracurricular activities for all eighth graders to hone leadership skills by serving as leaders of Park’s student government, service organizations, yearbook staff, Model UN, Morning Meetings, and all varsity athletic teams. They also serve as informal leaders of all younger children on campus. Grade 8 students also practice public speaking through preparing and delivering special interest talks at Morning Meeting.

In our students’ final year at Park, Advisors and the Secondary School Counseling team dedicate significant time and focus to the transition to high school, both public and private. Students have the organizational support to navigate a secondary school search process that focuses both on social-emotional growth as well as logistics. Secondary schools seek Park graduates because they confidently arrive on their next school campuses ready to be academic, athletic, and artistic leaders.

Art

Eighth grade students at Park learn to develop strategies for transforming an idea into visual language. Pursuing projects in various 2D formats, students are encouraged to use problem-solving to work through the design process. This year, students learn to represent 3D form on a 2D plane with the use of light and shadow through various drawing and collage techniques. Students draw on their knowledge of color, shape, line, and texture from their art-making experience throughout their years at Park.

During their final year at Park, students demonstrate the ability to take initiative on their projects. Making choices about subject matter and materials, and applying a high level of craftsmanship to their finished work are essential elements of the eighth grade art experience. Working cooperatively in groups both during the planning stage and while reflecting on completed work enables students to build connections with peers and broaden their perspective. Students will document their work in progress, along with finished projects in a digital portfolio using Padlet. Critical student engagement, analysis, and voice will contribute to an in-depth artist study project, culminating in the creation of collaborative instructional Padlets.

During the year, eighth graders will spend one trimester in art class.

Art Electives

Students in Grades 7 and 8 select courses from a range of semester-long arts electives in Music, Drama and Visual Art. These semester-long electives will be offered in 50-minute and 80-minute blocks.

Visual Art elective offerings for seventh and eighth graders may include Drawing and Painting, Print to Clay, The Human Figure, Mixed Media Art, Sculpture, Bookmaking, and Wood, Wire, and Glass.

Drama elective offerings may include Improv Troupe; Puppet Shorts, DIY Play, and Playwriting. These courses are designed to give students a chance to build drama skills in particular areas that are central to the work of drama: acting and improv, analyzing and writing, collaboration and communication, and of course to boost their overall confidence. Some classes are performance based, while others focus on technical and artistic skills surrounding the theater arts.

Music elective offerings may include Drumline, Ukulele, and Music Theory Marathon.

English

Grade 8 English focuses on increasing students’ confidence in moving toward more complex figurative interpretations in both reading and writing. Classes are run seminar style, and students are taught to be brave, active participants in conversations that explore literature and its connection to modern and timeless themes. Students are encouraged to connect, question, analyze, wonder, disagree, and express their ideas. Texts studied include Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give, and William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, George Takei's They Called Us Enemy, as well as a variety of classic and modern poetry.

Students write on a regular basis, keeping journals, notes, and thoughts from their reading and discussions. Numerous formal essays are composed during the year, as well as several personal narratives. This course places an emphasis on perspective taking, and students examine NPR’s This I Believe essay series to explore the belief systems of characters, authors, poets, classmates, and – ultimately – themselves. Emphasis is placed on refining previously acquired critical and creative skills, on expanding ideas into fully developed and lengthier essays, and on writing within time constraints. With guided feedback from their teachers, students are encouraged to outline, draft, refine, and rewrite. A mid-year grammar unit is taught to bolster students' skills, and vocabulary skills are taught through daily class work. The last writing project of the year is the creation of a published, detailed, personal, anthology of explicated poems.

French, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish

*American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language What the Research Shows

Library

Grade 8 students come to the Library for scheduled classes throughout the year to pursue personal and academic interests. While building their capacity for empathy and their understanding of equity, students engage with increasingly sophisticated information sources and formats. Through extensive use of materials in print and digital formats, students connect library resources to their studies in all areas of the curriculum and refine their independent research and critical thinking skills, preparing them to make good use of high school libraries. The librarians and classroom teachers collaborate as specific projects are undertaken.

Students are encouraged to create and share their ideas and understanding through a variety of multimedia formats. The Library Makerspace is accessible for students to personalize their use and presentation of information for culminating projects.

Mathematics: Algebra 1

In this course, eighth graders gain understanding of algebraic concepts, facility in the use of algebraic algorithms, and skills to analyze patterns, tables, and graphs. They develop the ability to use algebraic methods to apply and solve a diverse array of problems. Students hone problem-solving skills emphasizing real world data, graphing calculators, and Desmos. Creative thinking and collaboration are continuously practiced and emphasized throughout the year.

All students in Grade 8 take a complete year of Algebra. Topics include linear functions, linear systems and inequalities, exponential functions, and quadratic functions. Through the study of each function, students apply their understanding by generating, collecting, and analyzing data. To conclude the year, students develop and apply their understanding of all of these various functions to design and write code to create an animation using Desmos, a graphing calculator app. Students are sectioned to work with peers who learn at a similar pace and who perform at a similar level in math. Some classes may cover certain topics in greater depth as well as learn some introductory Algebra II.

Music

Park’s music program helps to foster creativity, self-expression, and develop students’ music skills. The Grade 8 curriculum is designed for students to experience four areas of music: creating, performing, listening, and history. Eighth graders spend one trimester in a twice weekly general music class. In addition, students have the option to participate in a year-long performance ensemble that meets weekly for 80 minutes, choosing from Drumline, Chorus, or Orchestral Ensemble.

Grade 8 students continue to build upon their knowledge of music theory from previous years. Faculty emphasize melody, rhythm, harmony, timbre, and musical form throughout all music activities, while providing the historical, cultural, and social context of the music. In addition, students develop their self-confidence and an appreciation for the physical and mental discipline of musical performance, while also learning to be adept critical listeners and polite, supportive audience members.

General music and ensemble instruction at Park is aligned with the National Association for Music Education standards.

Physical Education

In Grade 8, the Physical Education program reinforces the fundamental movement building blocks established in prior grades. While applying skills in games and activities, students are encouraged to lead each other to make good decisions in more dynamic and varied settings, while emphasizing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Each student is encouraged to progress at their own pace, and to improve their individual skills. Cooperative activities, collaboration and individual challenges are also important to the program.

Students Identify the components of health related fitness (mobility, stability and strength) and explain the connections between fitness and overall physical and mental health. Students use the FITT formula (frequency, intensity, time, type) to create personalized workouts and learn more about the relationship between poor nutrition and health risk factors. Basic movements used in stress reducing activities are covered as students collaborate on their fitness goals.

Science: Introductory Physical Sciences

Grade 8 Physical Science is a lab-based course focused on the study of matter and motion. Eighth graders actively build an understanding of the physical world by collaborating in the lab, conducting experiments, making observations, collecting data, and analyzing results.

Students begin with the study of the properties of matter. During this unit, our work is anchored in the interdisciplinary theme of water: the physical properties of water, water as a resource, global issues concerning water and the right to have access to clean water. We start with basic concepts such as mass and volume and build our understanding through experiments performed in the lab. Ultimately, from observations and data collected in the lab, students develop an understanding of how interactions at the molecular level cause the properties of matter that we see in action all around us.

Students then move onto a hands-on investigation of Newton’s Laws of Motion. Students observe and measure different types of forces and discover the relationship between force and motion. The unit culminates with the “Catapult Project” in which students design, construct and test a model catapult. Students are challenged to accurately hit a target and they demonstrate each of Newton’s Laws using their catapult.

Social Studies: Facing Our History - Human Rights and Social Justice in the United States and Around the World

The Grade 8 course focuses on human rights and social justice, beginning with a study of human rights and social justice within our own country. We explore structures and systems of power; roots of injustice; and the ways that oppressed peoples and their allies have sought both to bring injustice to light and to build a more just and humane societies for all peoples.

We also take time to explore current movements for justice, how our lives today intersect with these movements, and ways for us to work for social justice right now. While much of the course has a domestic focus, we also work to explore global injustices and movements for social justice.

Throughout this work, students engage in developing their skills in building arguments and communicating by practicing ongoing discussions of history and current events, debates, expository writing, and presentations.

As a culmination of this course, a significant amount of time at the end of the year is devoted to advocacy in a broad sense, as students work to learn about and advocate on issues (of their personal choice) relating to injustice and oppression locally, nationally, or internationally. This project synthesizes numerous skills students have been developing throughout their time at Park: leadership, communication, advocacy, and problem-solving. The project provides an opportunity for students to practice these skills and discover, through experience, that their voices matter, and that they can be heard.