Seventh Grade

Our middle school math, science, English, and social studies curriculums are aligned to US standards with an emphasis on preparing our students for the rigors of high school. All of my classes have an emphasis on research and student centered learning. I rarely lecture, because the class is normally actively researching their assignments. Studies have shown that the ones who work in the classroom are the ones who learn. In 7^th grade English for example, we have a writing intensive program mixed with a wide variety of literature. We also work with Shakespeare and Poe focusing on reading comprehension as opposed to simple plot lines, something very challenging for middle school students.

As for science, in the 8^th and 9^th grades we focus on the physical sciences, one area in which Mazapan students excel. When our students finish with 9^th grade they are capable of balancing chemical equations as well as using the various mathematical formulas involved in physics. The 8^th grade is also finishing a social studies program that began last year and worked backward through time looking at world cultures and history. This way our students can see the origins of culture within a historical framework.

In the 7^th grade last year, we began with modern times and worked our way back to the renaissance. This year the same class, now in 8^th grade, is working their way through the middle ages all the way back to the beginnings of civilization. We also have a successful fencing class here at the Mazapan. There the students learn the responsibility and discipline associated with a martial art in a fun environment.