Middle Years

Language & Literature: Students will work on improving vocabulary and reading comprehension skills in fiction and non fiction texts and explore literary analysis of fictional themes, character traits/character development, and author’s point of view utilizing text evidence. Selected literature will make many connections to the I & S subject matter. They write for different purposes that include research reports, persuasive letters and speeches, personal narratives, poetry, fantasy narratives, and literary analysis essays. Many media options beside traditional writing are used to communicate ideas, including google slides, podcasts, imovies, and art.

Science: During 6th grade science, the students will explore what it means to be a scientist throughout the Middle Years Program. We focus on hands-on science, developing testable questions, collecting data, and evaluating the validity of sources and quality of data. Students are encouraged to follow their curiosity and find their own answers. Outdoor Learning is an essential ingredient for connecting science concepts to real-world experiences.

Individuals & Societies: We start the year in a unit that focuses on developing map skills and connecting how they relate to our orientation in space and time. Students also learn about ancient civilizations in the eastern hemisphere; Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece and Rome. Special attention is given to scientific and technological innovations developed in those civilizations and how they impact us today. The year ends with a cross curricular unit taught simultaneously in science and L & L that addresses globalization and sustainability issues; the goal is to understand what it means to be a global citizen.

Math: In sixth grade, students move beyond math facts to discover a greater variety in the number system. Students learn to convert fractions, decimals, and percentages. They multiply and divide portions and include negative numbers into their computations. Students begin to write expressions to represent unknown quantities and learn to solve simple equations. Students explore geometry by calculating area, perimeter, and volume.  We connect visual representations of data to our science concepts, creating a variety of graphs. Students will also discover that statistics can help them communicate a message with their data.

Performing Arts: The program will often align the Language Arts and Individual & Societies units. 6th Grade students will have an introduction to Shakespeare and adapt his plays. They will also create and give performances that explore Greek literature and conflict in history.

Design Lab: In our MYP Design Lab is a space where 6th graders engage in hands-on, inquiry-based learning that integrates design thinking principles. 6th graders are encouraged to tackle authentic, real-world problems through design thinking. This approach helps them understand the relevance of their education and the impact they can have on the world around them

Band: Our band and music program in aims to cultivate not only musical proficiency but also a broader set of skills and perspectives that align with the IB MYP principles. Through exploration, inquiry, and collaborative experiences, students develop a lifelong love for music and an understanding of its broader cultural and social significance.

Spanish: The Spanish course emphasizes cultural awareness and intercultural understanding. Students explore the customs, traditions, literature, and history of Spanish-speaking communities around the world, fostering a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives.

PE: Strength and Conditioning II Fitness for Life (Weight lifting, circuit training, jogging and Cross Country Running).

Team Sports II: (Volleyball, Softball, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, Lacrosse and Ultimate Frisbee)

In-door Games II: (Team Handball, In-door Soccer, In-door Football, International Kickball and Wiffleball)

Individual Sports II: (Pickle ball, Badminton, Golf, Tennis, Archery, Racquetball, Croquet, Bocce, Project Adventure II and Horseshoes)

These are a few examples of the class experiences done in 6th grade:

Science: Sixth graders raise Rainbow Trout in the classroom from eggs to fry. They monitor the water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen to ensure the living conditions support healthy fish. We take several field trips to the Deschutes River to test the water quality for wild fish, then to Shevlin Pond, where we release our trout babies. Students have the opportunity to try fishing for their own trout during our visit to the Metolius in the Spring.

Individuals & Societies: Students particularly enjoy Greek Day in the spring where they perform plays and experience various Greek foods. After learning about the lack of clean water in other countries they have the opportunity to to run a 5k to sponsor building a well in a third world country.

Math: In the design lab, we use our math skills to build boxes for design lab supplies! Students will practice the skills of measuring, converting, and calculating the surface area. They will apply what they have learned about geometry to designing solutions for an authentic problem that benefits all students at Seven Peaks. 

World Leadership School: Spring trips that offer travel, learning, collaboration, and community service.

These are a few examples of the types of action projects done in 6th grade:

Language & Literature: Students will write personal narratives exploring their identities and relationships, design comic books using vocabulary words, and create fantasy stories that demonstrate personal and cultural expression. They participate in weekly Word Wednesdays and Book Clubs throughout the school year. Kids have a chance to bond during whole class field trips such as our 2 day overnight at Camp Tamarack, and during many Friday SEL activities.

Science: We kick off our year together with “How Strong is an Egg?” Students are given a problem that too many eggs are breaking during transport, and they need to design a test to determine how to best protect the eggs as they travel. Students design their own investigations to gather evidence for their proposed design solution for the engineers of egg transport materials.  

Our Moon Project occurs later in the year when we are studying cycles. Students spend a month observing the moon and its patterns, drawing sketches, and recording quantitative data and qualitative data. Ultimately, students create a model of the moon and all of its phases to share with the class. The creativity is endless!

Individuals & Societies: Students create fictional maps, make comparisons across civilizations, and present individual research projects.

Math: The “Bottle Flip Challenge” is a fun and interactive way to collect data and explore concepts of statistics and graphing data. Students try to flip a water bottle completely before it lands on the desk, which is not an easy task! They record their successful attempts per bottle and discover the average among students. Ultimately, they graph the levels of success across all bottles attempted to discover the best bottle for flipping. 

The “Design a Park Project” combines the concepts of geometry, ratios, and multiplying fractions altogether. Students create a blueprint using shapes to create the park of their dreams, including any feature that would serve the community. They ensure the plans are realistic by calculating the area and perimeter of each shape, including fractions. Finally, students must justify the value of their park for the local community to fellow classmates.

Science: Through a broad range of in-class and student-centered activities, Seventh Grade Science  covers the basics of Chemistry, Scientific Method, and Cellular Biology/Genetics with a focus on critical thinking and problem solving and connecting scientific knowledge to everyday real-world applications. The overarching theme for the year is “Identity: what makes something unique”

Individuals & Societies: Concept-based inquiry empowers students to prompt their own learning and gives them the flexibility to make connections to their local, regional, global experiences.  I strive to have a student-centred approach that allows for an inviting and warm atmosphere that promotes communication, open-mindedness, critical thinking, reflection, and global understandings across various subject matters. I encourage my students to be self-driven inquirers and empower them to express themselves as individuals and to collaborate with their peers. Through this approach, students are more engaged and gain more depth in their understandings by inviting each student to make connections and gain multiple perspectives in their surrounding global community.

Language & Literature: In 7th-grade L&L, students study how perspective shapes meaning across a range of genres and styles of writing. We also consider the many elements that produce a perspective (context, history, culture, identity).

Math: Students progress into pre- algebra building their skills of operations, solving equations, probability, proportions, lines, and graphs.

Visual Arts: Students develop their artistic skills and techniques through a variety of mediums, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and digital media. The curriculum emphasizes both traditional and contemporary approaches to art-making.

Visual Arts is often integrated with other subjects in the curriculum, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary connections. For example, students might create art projects that relate to historical events, literature, or scientific concepts.

Performing Arts: The program will often align the Language Arts and Individual & Societies units. 6th Grade students will have an introduction to Shakespeare and adapt one of his plays. They will also create and give performances that explore Greek literature and conflict in history.

Design: The first quarter of 7th grade design will be spent learning and refreshing the students’ skills with the tools found in the design lab, and going deeper within the digital programs used for the Laser Cutter and 3D printer. During the second through fourth quarters, they will be using these skills to go through the design thinking process while integrating knowledge from other subject areas, such as integrated units around National History Day, performing arts stage needs, and creating solutions to needs found within their day to day life.

Band: Seventh grade band students often have opportunities to showcase their musical talents through performances and exhibitions. This could include concerts, recitals, or collaborative projects that involve other arts disciplines, aligning with the IB's holistic approach to education.

Spanish: Students are encouraged to reflect on their language learning journey and to think critically about language use in various contexts. Reflective practices enhance metacognition and help students become more effective communicators.

PE: Strength and Conditioning II Fitness for Life (Weight lifting, circuit training, aerobics, Jogging and Cross Country Running)

Team Sports II: (Volleyball, Softball, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Soccer, Hockey, and Ultimate Frisbee)

In-door Games II: (Team Handball, In-door Soccer, In-door Football, International Kickball and Wiffleball)

Individual Sports II: (Pickle ball, Badminton, Golf, Tennis, Archery, Racquetball, Croquet, Bocce, Project Adventure II and Horseshoes)

These are a few examples of the class experiences done in 7th grade:

Science: Students also participate in supporting experiences such as presenting their own experimental data in a grade level Science Fair where students must demonstrate their thought process and defend their conclusions based on the evidence presented.  

Individuals & Societies: One of our highlighted experiences is participating in the Oregon Historical Society. This trip/experience is a student-directed, project-based, interdisciplinary learning program that invites students to interpret a historical event that connects to the annual theme by creating a website, paper, performance, exhibit, or documentary. We are hoping to all physically attend this event in April 2022

Another highlighted experience is the Model United Nations Program. This is a widely practised program across the globe in IB schools that is “student-led” learning by informing our students about the world and developing the skills such as research, position papers,  public speaking and problem-solving.

Language & Literature: Students whose National History Day projects are selected to compete at the state-level competition will travel to Portland, Oregon to showcase their projects for consideration for the national competition.

In an interdisciplinary unit with Science, students will read Andy Weir’s The Martian, exploring narrative structures in L&L and the science behind Weir’s fiction in Science. Students will have the option of creating their own research based work of fiction or nonfiction, conducting research to support their creation.

World Leadership School: Spring trips that offer travel, learning, collaboration, and community service.

These are a few examples of the types of action projects done in 7th grade:

Science: Students will participate in projects such as Stop-motion animation creation and constructing a mobile to represent their individual identity. 

Individuals & Societies: Students in Individuals & Societies will participate in many action projects that are driven by their own inquires while navigating The Middle Year’s Program.  Such exemplars of this framework will include the opportunity to explore Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences during our National History Day exploration in the New Year!

Language & Literature: Our inquiry begins with portraits and S.E, Hinson’s The Outsiders, develops with our interdisciplinary unit exploring creativity and constraint through podcasts, climaxes with student’s original research in National History Day, and concludes with Nnedi Okorafor’s Akata Witch.

Math: Students will use their math knowledge in 7th grade to make blueprints, create a carnival game, research a UN sustainability goal and predict a world trend, and enjoy pi day!