Seventh Grade Program
English
In English 7 students are engaged in learning how to read critically while developing integral writing skills across a variety of modes, including analytical, persuasive, expository, and creative. Through our study of literature we look deeply at what it means to come of age and be an individual in society, with an eye toward social justice. While we read mostly American novels, short stories, and poems, including To Kill a Mockingbird, The House on Mango Street, and poets such as Langston Hughes and Yusef Komunyakaa, we also study Animal Farm to begin the year, as well as a Shakespeare play in anticipation of our class trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Furthermore, students are required to read three additional books of their choosing and complete creative projects for each in order to foster an appreciation of reading for pleasure, while expressing comprehension of the books through untraditional means.
We develop vocabulary through lists generated from the texts we read, and we demonstrate mastery through our writing. Likewise, we study grammar and usage through examples from texts, as well as in writing workshops where the entire writing process is developed and valued: from free-writing, brainstorming and drafting, to one-on-one conferences, deep revision, and reflection. Other methods used in teaching reading, writing, and literary analysis include discussion groups, literature circles, journal writing, directed peer editing, oral presentations, and many more.
History
Seventh Grade History, Evolution and Revolution, explores the Americas from the earliest Paleo-Americans to present-day United States. Focus is on the gradual and immediate change of peoples and their cultures due to forces such as ideas, disease, and war. Within this framework students learn to research with various sources and present that information to their peers, work with maps, be involved in discussions, use technology to better interpret history, and learn to read and comprehend historical texts.
Mathematics
Seventh Graders will take either Pre-Algebra or Algebra.
Pre-Algebra 2 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 6-8
Students may choose to study French, Spanish, or Mandarin, studying one language for all three years. 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 Middle School language sequences are designed to prepare students to enter the second year for language study in Upper School. 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.
Health & Wellness
Health and Wellness is a gender based course that explores a variety of "Life Skills" topics such as social interactions, learning and the brain, and learning about how we learn. Body systems is also included in this curriculum.
