UPPER GRADES INFORMATION

​​Middle School children are inspired deeply by their feelings and by the beauty of the world around them. They respond powerfully to the tools and methods used at Seaside Charter Schools, which engages their feelings through music, art, movement, and drama, and enlivens learning through in-depth study of a topic using an experiential, hands-on approach.

Program Highlights

• 6th Grade

The instructional program shifts in the sixth grade to address new conceptual capacities that are developing  in the children as they approach adolescence.  In 6th grade students step firmly out of the protected experience of the lower grades into an outer world where their individuality can mature and be asserted socially and academically. As students approach age 12, major changes in their physical bodies can be seen as their limbs begin to grow and seem heavier as hormones begin to impact development more significantly. The curriculum themes explored in 6th grade are chosen expressly to assist both the inner and outer questing of these young people to find balance in their rapidly changing bodies. Students study Roman History, Medieval History, Islam and Muhammed , The Crusades & The Plague, World Literature, Informational and Argumentative Writing, General Mathematics, Geometric Drawing, Physics, Forces of Motion, and Human Body Systems. Students focus on building foundational math skills in preparation for higher-level math, with a strong emphasis on number sense, ratios, expressions, and basic geometry. We cover essential topics that prepare students for advanced problem-solving and algebraic reasoning
 

• 7th Grade

The seventh-grade year is one of great change and challenge for the students as they explore limits and express their own opinions Students begin to question more authority and assert their independence. The children are focused both out into the world that they are moving quickly towards and on themselves and their growing and deepening emotional and intellectual inner life. This requires a curriculum that echoes the energy of the seventh grader, mirroring their own self-discovery with an historical age of remarkable discovery, the Renaissance, as a parallel to the child’s adolescence experience. The Renaissance, The Reformation, African History & Geography, Civics, Creative Writing and Formal Writing/Research Papers, World Literature, Pre-Algebra, General Mathematics, 2-D Geometry, Chemistry, and Astronomy. In 7th grade students focus on deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts introduced in earlier grades while introducing new topics that are foundational for algebra and higher-level math. The curriculum is structured to enhance problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and real-world applications.

• 8th Grade

 Eighth graders are filled with ideals and opinions; they offer unsolicited judgments and are eager for opportunities to test their powers. Here we are making the end of childhood and an entrance into a new phase of young adulthood as a high school students. The curriculum needs to offer hope and empower students to view themselves as capable changemakers in the world. Because of this, students study Revolutions, Economic Geography, US History, Creative Writing and Formal Writing/Research Papers, American Literature, Algebra 1, General Mathematics and 3-D Geometry, Biology, Chemistry, and Human Physiology. ​In 8th grade the curriculum is designed to bridge the gap between middle school mathematics and high school algebra, providing students with a strong foundation in both pre-algebra and algebra concepts. The curriculum emphasizes problem-solving, critical thinking, and real-world applications, enabling students to apply their knowledge effectively.