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ISB CURRICULUM – 7
th
GRADE
English
During the year the 7th graders read two or three complete class novels as well as some poems, short stories, a play, essays, and debate cases. In their analysis of text as well as through their writing they work on the thesis sentence, abstract concepts and concrete images, writing style, themes, terms of poetry and symbolism. Students learn about and take part in a cross-examination style debate. Grammar review is done to address student needs but generally focuses on sentence variety, run-on sentences, fragments and complex sentences. Vocabulary development is a strong focus and is taught through context as well as part of word study connected to classical roots.
French
The literature program for students in grade 7 follows the French history program which focuses on the study of the Middle Ages and the 16th century. As a result they study medieval literature through novels of knighthood and others texts from different genres such as the medieval farce. Other genres studied during the year include detective novels, stories of travel, poetry, and drama. In grammar, all the tenses of the indicative are reviewed as well as pronouns, the expansion of nominals, and the functions in a simple sentence. Students also work on the imperative in dialogue and the importance as well as agreement of time in a story. Students are introduced to different literary styles including the metaphor, oxymorons, hyperbole and the reading of an image.
Mathematics
Students have four hours a week of mathematics and may choose to take math in either French or English. The curriculum is the same in both languages and follows the French national curriculum.
The portion of the course concentrating on arithmetic and covers operations with decimals, fractions with lowest common denominators, signed numbers and proportionality, the introduction to equations, and statistics and data display.
The geometry portion of the course covers the intersection of parallel lines and angles, parallelograms and triangles, area of quadrilaterals and of circles, right prisms, right cylinders and volumes.
History and Geography (taught in French)
Medieval history is the focus of this year. It includes a study of the Byzantine Empire, the Muslim World, Carolingian Empire, Christianity in Western Europe, the Kingdom of France from the 10th to the 16th century, and the birth of Modern Times. Geography study includes Africa (Maghreb), Asia (India and China), and America (Brazil). Security, equality and dignity of the individual are looked at in the civics portion of the course.
Social Studies (taught in English)
During the year students build skills related to reading a primary source document, note-taking, reading a text for information, analysis of photographs, and analysis of political cartoons. These skills are strengthened through the study of US western expansion from 1803-1850s, the causes and outcomes of the US Civil War. Culminating projects are completed for each topic.
Science
Students have four hours a week of science and may choose to take science in either French or English. The curriculum is the same in both languages and follows the French national curriculum.
In grade 7 students learn about the human body, how it moves, the respiratory system, the digestive system and blood circulation. They also look at the different respiratory systems in the animal world. During the geology portion of the course students gain knowledge related to landscapes and mineral formations, natural and human erosion, fossils, and sedimentation.
This year focuses on electricity and the states of water. The electricity portion of the class covers direct current circuits, generators, switches, the direction of current, conductors and insulators, and dipole (definition, connected and derivation dipoles). States of water is concerned with the states of matter, the properties of each state, water as an essential element, the difference between homogeneous mixtures and pure elements, heterogeneous mixtures.
Foreign Languages
German: Students continue to broaden their vocabulary and grammar skills by learning about prepositions, pronouns, verbs of modality, and reflexive verbs. Students are being introduced to the use of different verb tenses and the accusative and dative case, allowing them to express themselves more effectively. Topics include Austria, European cities, landmarks, famous people, and fairy tales.
Spanish: Students continue to build their basic and daily vocabulary. They also learn about gerunds, preterit, imperfect, ser/estar , demonstrative and possessive adjectives, questions and answers, expressing conditions and reflective verbs. Students also learn language through content as they learn about Cortes and the invasion of Mexico.
Drama
The teaching of drama in 7th grade consists of the development of the theatrical act through specific techniques as well as drama exercises designed by experts in the profession and validated by the Ministry of the French National Education. The students learn to focus on what is deemed “good” and to develop it, thus exploring and cultivating their potential and personal “talent”.
Similarly, we approach work on feelings and emotions, developing, for instance, the temperament of a character, as well as “unleashing” the imagination with expressive activities, bringing into play the body, the voice, and movement.
In addition, the reading of modern and traditional parts, the development of the intellect as well as the interpretation and the setting of the scene and theatrical criticism all play an important role as well. The repertory in 7th grade is the comical narration, the satiric drama (Molière, Roland Dubillard, Raymond Devos, Karl Valentine, Bobby Lapointe, G. Brassens…) with the same texts and authors studied in French Literature class.
Music
Students review the skills for the soprano recorder. They learn about the writing and playing of rhythmic combinations on unpitched and pitched percussion instruments. They also learn about the orchestra and its sections as well as note reading and composing. Lastly students prepare a song for a musical show where they practice performance etiquette.
Physical Education
This course focuses on three areas: endurance through track and field, gymnastics and team sports such as touch-football, soccer, polo, floor hockey, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, volleyball, badminton and softball. Emphasis is also placed on the role of physical activity for physical, mental and social health.
Student Exploration Program
The Student Exploration Program is a unique middle school program. Each semester, students explore one topic in-depth with one or two ISB teachers. Some of the exploration topics have included robotics, architecture, Japanese culture, and cooking. At the end of the semester, each group will prepare and present a final project to share with the other groups. The goal of the exploration program is to help students develop 21st century skills including thinking critically and creatively, solving problems, taking initiative, innovating, communicating effectively, and working collaboratively.
