HUMANITIES 7
Humanities 7 integrates social studies, language arts, and information technology into a course which encourages students to identify problems and seek effective strategies for solving them. We seek to educate students to be self-directed, independent learners who possess the critical skills necessary to succeed in this rapidly changing world.

The skills for such success include the communication skills of reading, writing, speaking, graphing, and utilizing a wide array of electronic communication tools, including the mastery of relevant computer skills and use of the internet.

Units of study are designed to encourage the students to think creatively and cooperatively. Students are challenged to organize their thoughts and materials, make sound decisions and solve problems which become increasingly more complex as the year progresses. Each student will have ample opportunity to hone leadership and management skills in a safe and supportive environment.

The curriculum addresses what it means to be an American with an emphasis on events of the past 60 years.

Teaching methods use classroom activities which facilitate high student involvement such as simulations, student-led discussions, debates, role-playing, group presentations, and the use of teacher-set “challenges” in which the teacher acts as facilitator while students take on class leadership roles and work collaboratively toward a common goal. Guest speakers, films and field trips are all employed as ways to encourage and engage the students in the learning process.

The Seventh Grade spring traveling school takes us to Ashland for a study of regional theater and acting. The students read the Shakespeare play we see before beginning the trip.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
All Seventh Graders will rotate through a specific Language Skills course emphasizing specific writing, grammar, and reading comprehension skills. This class will work in close coordination with both Humanities 7 and Second Language classes.

MATHEMATICS
Seventh Graders will take either Pre-Algebra or Algebra.

Pre-Algebra consists of applied arithmetic, pre-algebra, and pre-geometry focusing on arithmetic operations in mathematics and the real world. Variables are used to generalize patterns, abbreviate formulas, and represent unknowns in problems. They are also used on the number line and graphed in a coordinate plane. Basic arithmetic and algebraic skills are connected to corresponding geometry topics. This course also includes work with scientific notation and systems of measurement.

Algebra lays the groundwork and introduces the language of elementary mathematics. It covers the topics of traditional algebra courses, such as linear sentences and related concepts, exponents, and polynomials. Quadratic equations are introduced. Algebra also integrates geometry, statistics, and probability throughout the course. Reading the mathematics, using calculators, and problem solving are integral aspects of the course. This course is offered to OES Seventh and Eighth Graders. Prerequisite: Pre-Algebra.

SECOND LANGUAGE 7/8
Students may choose to study French, Spanish, Mandarin, or Japanese. The goals for the students in all language programs are to understand simple and common oral and written language; to speak and write simple sentences and questions with good grammatical structure and pronunciation; to begin to understand some of the characteristics of the culture whose language is being studied; and to look at their own culture(s) in comparison. Students learn to use basic grammatical structures in the present, future, and past tenses.

The 7/8 Grade language sequences are designed to prepare students who enter the Upper School program for the second year course. The text and resources available are appropriate for Middle School learners and compatible with those used in the Upper School courses.

SCIENCE
Seventh grade Science is the study of the Earth as a system of interacting spheres. Each quarter we focus on one of Earth’s spheres: the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, or biosphere. The essential questions and critical concepts of each sphere are explored through laboratory investigations, demonstrations, research, and discussions. Each unit’s concepts are developed through a system analysis of an event’s effect on each of the other spheres and the earth as a whole. As we study the lithosphere, we analyze the impact of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. The concept of the Greenhouse Effect and the possibility of Global Warming are examined in our study of the atmosphere. The OES wetlands provide the vehicle for study of both the hydrosphere and the biosphere.

To continue to develop the concept of Science as a collaborative endeavor, the Seventh grade Science class is a part of an international collaboration that integrates service and science through the study and protection of wetlands. Our students collect data and design independent research projects on the OES wetlands and the watersheds in our community. Their results are shared with schools throughout the United States and Australia and become a part of a Wonderful Wetlands Collaboration website. For more information about the Middle School Science Program, please see the page on science across the grades.

RELIGION
Based on the conviction that Middle School is a time when students are exploring who they are and who they desire to become, the 7th grade religion class studies the lives and teachings of biblical and contemporary spiritual leaders. Students gain an understanding of the qualities of spiritual and religious leaders, and they explore what it means to put one's faith into action in different contexts and times.  Students begin to think about their own moral and ethical values and how they can be true to their individual conscience while working to recognize their power for good as citizens of the world.

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