Junior High

The Seventh Grade English curriculum combines sophisticated analysis and interpretation of text with writing across several genres. Students practice and refine their skills in narrative, argument, and information writing as they study genres including book review, realistic fiction, literary essay, poetry, and persuasive essay. Our in-depth exploration of writer’s craft techniques such as contrast, repetition, metaphor, and flashback informs students’ reading and writing at the same time. An appreciation of craft not only makes students more thoughtful and nuanced readers, helping them to build well-supported arguments for their interpretation of an author’s purpose and meaning, but also makes students more thoughtful and nuanced writers, helping them to intentionally craft their own pieces of writing to be as compelling and meaningful as possible. Over the course of the year, students read and discuss novels, plays, essays, short stories, and poetry with partners, in small groups, and as a whole class. Throughout their discussion of literature, students again encounter the question, “How do we live?”  The interplay of individual and society that they consider in history also informs their study of literature.

The study of sentence structure and grammar focuses on the errors that come up most frequently in students’ writing; students learn strategies to help them become more independent in their ability to recognize and correct their own mistakes.  In the spring, students select poems, stories, essays, and artwork for The Far Brook Journal, the School’s literary magazine.

The Seventh Grade Science curriculum, “Genes and the Environment: Science for Social Justice,” is an exploration of biological science. Students will explore biological concepts through the lens of human genetics and ancestry. They will investigate questions such as: How does genetic variation explain differences among human populations? What is the difference between the scientific concepts of race and ancestry? How can DNA evidence help us understand human origins and migration? To answer these questions, students will study characteristics of life, cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, plant and animal cells, organelles, DNA, mitosis, genetics, adaptations, proteins, pigments, nutrients and how nutrition impacts health, pollution of air and water sources, separation of mixtures including methods to reduce pollution, the interdependence of organisms within an ecosystem, how organisms are impacted by their environment, the role humans play in changing these ecosystems, and why diversity in ecosystems is so important to life on Earth. 

When learning about how nutrition impacts health, students will make and test their own calorimeters to find out how much energy is contained in different foods. After gathering their results, students write comprehensive lab reports in which they create data tables, analyze data, and draw conclusions about their experiment. 

At the end of the year, students will complete a social justice action project, searching for possible solutions to real-world environmental problems that impact community health, such as poor nutrition, hunger, food deserts, access to quality healthcare, and pollution of air or water sources. Students are encouraged to engage in their communities and be prepared to share their work with the Far Brook community.

Children reach cognitive landmarks at different times throughout their adolescent years. Allowing for their individual differences, consideration is given to ensure that each student is in the correct math course. Skills developed throughout the earlier grades are combined with more advanced creative analysis and sequential thinking in the Junior High math courses. Algebra is a focus and is the context for fostering the reasoning skills necessary for success in higher level mathematics. Math classes include investigations and presentations to the class for discussion. The “Flipped Classroom” teaching model is regularly used to allow students an opportunity to be introduced to new concepts at first independently followed by further investigations and group work during school. This continuum of rich experiences and carefully selected resources provides students with the deep understanding, the knowledge, and the skills to meet the challenges of high school math programs.

Algebra 1A: This course includes topics in the first half of a standard Algebra 1 course including evaluating expressions with order of operations, translating expressions and equations, applying algebraic properties (commutative, associative, distributive), solving linear equations, solving literal equations, solving proportions, investigating functions and applying function notation, solving inequalities, graphing linear inequalities and systems of inequalities, solving absolute value inequalities, and solving systems of equations. Many topics are applied to real world problems. Students also complete a linear regression project that allows them to collect data and observe the correlation between two variables with a line of best fit. 

Textbook: Reveal Algebra 1 - McGraw Hill

Algebra 1AB: This course includes the content in a standard Algebra 1 course and progresses rapidly through the content. Topics include operations with positives and negatives, absolute value, translating word problems, order of operations, the distributive property, solving linear equations, polynomial operations, factoring polynomials, solving quadratics by factoring, linear and quadratic word problems, rational expression operations, solving rational expression equations and word problems, negative exponents and exponent laws, slope, graphing lines, equation of lines, systems of equations, solving word problems, and graphing systems of linear inequalities. If time permits, the course can cover square root/radical operations, solving inequalities and absolute value equations, and solving quadratic equations with completing the square and the quadratic formula.

Text: Algebra: Structure and Method (Book 1) – McDougal Littell

The Seventh Grade Technology mini begins with a digital citizenship unit that challenges students to develop a personalized, balanced approach to media use. Following this challenge, Seventh Graders use the Bloxels game design platform to create a game that’s not only fun but has a social message, too. Design thinking provides the framework for the project, during which students take primary responsibility for one of three roles in their game’s development–Layout Designer, Character Designer, or Story & Theme Designer. As a part of the design thinking process, groups will partake in a cycle of iteration and playtesting, publishing the final version of their games on the Bloxels Arcade, accessible online by players worldwide.

French and Spanish: In the Seventh Grade French and Spanish classes, the curriculum continues to build on the skills, vocabulary, and structures acquired in earlier years. From the Sixth Grade through the Eighth Grade, students will complete a typical French 1 or Spanish 1 curriculum. The curriculum is taught through interactive storytelling techniques, and student participation becomes a key contributing factor to the development of oral fluency. Most students are able to speak spontaneously in response to a situation, a picture prompt, a written story or article, and are able to write lengthy pieces with a good degree of accuracy. Each unit of study is centered on a main story that incorporates all of the structures and vocabulary that are practiced in class. Each unit has a cultural theme, such as leisure activities, food/restaurants, school life, family life, and travel. Writing skills continue to develop through class dictations and freewrites. Grammar concepts include conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, question forms and adjective/noun agreements.

Art: In Seventh Grade, students develop their point of view as visual artists. “Portraits of Power” allows students to express their inner-selves through the vehicle of self-portrait painting. Inspired by artists like Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Kehinde Wiley, and Amy Sherald, students create fully-rendered portraits that represent who they are, and where they are on their journey. Throughout the course students refine their painting and drawing skills, while learning transfer drawing methods, underpainting and glazing techniques, collage, and other mixed media methods. Students continue to develop positive self-awareness and voice through their art.

Woodshop and Design Thinking: In Seventh Grade Woodshop, the students study the importance of artifacts and the stories they tell us about our ancestors. Through the inspection of various important artifacts, we learn more about important events and eras in human history. Using digital and physical tools, the students are then tasked with creating an artifact representing an important event in their lifetime and creating museum labels and mounting to display it in our Museum of the Seventh Grade.

Music Theory: In their mini, Seventh Graders study the theory of music. Topics include: learning and identifying intervals, note-reading facility, rhythm and rhythmic values and their connection with mathematics and languages, as both science and an art form. Students are introduced to basic keyboard skills and the construction and execution of major and minor scales at the piano. Through specific assignments, students explore great master works, analyze key themes, compose original melodies. Students are also exposed to various musical styles and its origins in folk and secular music around the world.

Group: In Group, students rehearse for the music that they sing during many musical events at Far Brook, including Thanksgiving Processional, Stabat Mater and Other Voices, and the Spring Concert.  Group is the school’s most advanced upper school choral ensemble, and it includes students in Grades 6 to 8. The class provides the opportunity for students to apply the theoretical and literacy concepts they have learned thus far, through the instrument they all possess, the voice. Students learn a diverse selection of repertoire, from classical to folk to contemporary, which allows them to build community, understanding and empathy with each other and the world. The students also study vocal pedagogy and learn healthy singing habits that will sustain them in their singing life beyond Far Brook.

Cambiata and Trebles

Cambiata (formerly known as Boys Choir) is a changing voice choir for students in Grades 6-8. While most students in this ensemble are male identifying, AFAB (Assigned Female at Birth) students who identify as male or non-binary are also welcome to participate. Students learn about the vocal anatomy, and the skills and techniques they will need to navigate their vocal changes, while delving into appropriate and stimulating choral literature. 

The Trebles is a new group that will be rehearsing at the same time as Cambiata. The Trebles will delve deeper into treble works, exploring songs with more complex voicings, richer harmonies, and diverse textures. Students will strengthen their singing and advance their aural and sight-reading skills. While most students in this ensemble are female identifying, AMAB (Assigned Male at Birth) students who identify as female or non-binary, and desire to continue exploring their treble range are also welcome.

Orchestra: Students in Grades Four through Eight join the Far Brook Orchestra once they reach a certain level of proficiency in their musical skills. The Orchestra plays in Morning Meeting and at the Spring Concert. Many students who participate in Orchestra also perform in the annual Recital Night in the spring.

Drama: Integrating the Seventh Grade’s curricular  study of the Roots of Democracy in Ancient Greece, students in Drama engage with, and perform, foundational tales from the development of – and struggle for –  self-governance.  These ancient legends are shared by a Chorus-based ensemble, including plays by Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and others. Here, individuals begin to step out of the Chorus to draw out conflicts, and the students delve into more complex language and situations. The production is somewhat more elaborately staged than previous years’ plays, reflecting the students’ growing proficiency in interactive ensemble performance. This is facilitated by the choral-based structure of Greek drama, in which the interactions between individual solo characters and the chorus create the dramatic center of the play.  The Seventh Graders present their class play to the Far Brook community in the late winter. The annual class play is an essential part of their history studies. It brings the curriculum to life as they work collaboratively with their classmates, and share the results of their explorations with the wider school community.

Sports: The Seventh Grade Sports program includes participation on an interscholastic team in the fall and spring, cooperative team-building activities, and fitness & strength development. Our fall team sports offerings are soccer, field hockey, and cross country. In the spring, baseball, lacrosse, and track & field are offered. Students continue to learn the rules and strategies of these sports, and practice more advanced skills, leading to active participation in interscholastic competition. The development of leadership abilities and learning to be a supportive teammate are reinforced during every practice and game. The cornerstone of the sports curriculum is character development through sportsmanship. It is essential that our students learn what it means to be a positive and reliable member of a team, and how to handle the adversity of competition. During the fall and spring sports seasons, students share Sports Reports in Morning Meeting, reporting on the team’s accomplishments to the entire school community. When not in season, students participate in activities such as pickleball, ultimate frisbee, team handball, basketball and various fitness activities.

Health & Wellness: The continued goal of the winter sports season is to foster an appreciation of fitness, sports, and living a healthy lifestyle. Activities may include flag football, basketball, pickleball, volleyball, and cardio kick-boxing. For approximately 10 weeks, students have one health and wellness lesson in place of a physical education class each week. This comprehensive curriculum has been developed to closely follow national health and sexuality curriculum standards. Each topic has been carefully selected to serve the developmental level of the students.

Advisory facilitates students’ development of caring, creative, and competent approaches toward academics and relationships. Mixed-grade groupings provide an opportunity for mentorship, leadership, and collaboration across the two Junior High grades. Advisors facilitate group conversations dealing with specific topics such as team building, character and integrity, healthy habits, diversity, organization, and transitions. Advisors also meet with students one-on-one and conference about academic and social areas.

Opportunity Period allows students to self-select into an activity of choice during the school day.  Recent options include Far Brook’s Upper School Orchestra, book club, School newspaper, art, chess, and knitting.

Progress Reports: At the Seventh Grade level students first experience progress reports with letter grades.  They have weekly study skills classes and work with their advisors to set academic and social goals for themselves. At the end of the first and second trimesters students lead their own academic conference for their parents, sharing a portfolio of their academic work that they have prepared with their advisor.

Study Skills: Students in the Seventh Grade begin to take on more responsibility for their learning as they transition to letter grades.  The grade level meets regularly for a joint Study Skills/History class.  Through support from their academic teacher and the learning specialist students learn organization, time management and note taking skills that are reinforced daily, resulting in students who are more independent. Students also learn various study strategies as they prepare for quizzes and tests and manage long term assignments. 

Outdoor Learning Trip: This occurs early in the school year and plays an important role in the community-building aspect of the Junior High. The natural setting in New York State is ideal for 4 days of living and learning together. The Learning Center staff provide an extensive outdoor program including hiking, canoeing, a ropes course, a sensory-awareness challenge course, forest and pond ecology, and wildlife studies. 

Social Justice Trip: In alternating years, the Far Brook Junior High students travel to Atlanta, GA and Montgomery and Selma, AL to visit important landmarks and museums which illuminate a critical movement in our nation’s history.  Our newest trip offers our students an opportunity to deepen their learning of American history with a focus on the Civil Rights Movement. Itinerary highlights: Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Edmund Pettus Bridge, CNN Studio Tour, The Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, The National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, Rosa Parks Museum, Freedom Rides Museum, an HBCU college campus visit, and the Civil Rights Memorial Center. 

Cultural Immersion Trip: In alternating years, the entire Junior High and faculty go on a cultural immersion trip during late winter, traveling to the province of Québec in Canada, visiting Montréal and Québec City. In preparation for this event, students study the history and culture of the area and have an opportunity to put their French knowledge to use. 

The cost of all trips is included in the Junior High activities fee.