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The Middle School: Grades Five & Six
The Middle School curriculum is designed to encourage the development of autonomous learners -- students who have the basic skills and the curiosity to further their own intellectual, creative, and moral growth. Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, contextual learning and problem-solving are all emphasized. In the Middle School, the core subjects of English, mathematics, and social studies are taught primarily by the homeroom teachers. Specialists teach art, music, woodshop, science, Spanish and library skills. Parent conferences with the homeroom teacher are scheduled in October and April. Extensive narrative reports on students’ progress are issued three times a year. Formal letter grades are not given in the Middle School. |
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| EnglishThe Middle School English program is designed to cultivate an appreciation of good literature. Emphasis is placed upon reading comprehension, literary interpretation, vocabulary enhancement, and the development of effective expository and creative writing skills. Students read a variety of assigned novels throughout the year. The class novel assignments are used as the basis for vocabulary development, and grammar is taught through the students’ writing, which includes narrative compositions, essays, reports and poetry. Students both read aloud and are regularly read to by their teachers. The children also opt to read books of their personal choice. While texts vary somewhat from year to year, the following is a representative sample from each grade level: Grade 5: Armstrong, Sounder; Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting; Bishop, The Watsons Go to Birmingham; Cushman, A Midwife’s Apprentice; George, My Side of the Mountain; Hesse, A Time of Angels and Out of the Dust; Lawrence, The Thieves of Ostia; Lowry, Number the Stars; O’Neill, The Rats of NIMH; Paulson, Hatchet; Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia; Peck, A Day No Pigs Would Die and A Long Way from Chicago; Scholastic Guides, Checking Your Grammar; and selected short stories and poems. The required novel for summer reading for fifth graders is 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass.
Grade 6: Cooper, King of Shadows; Frederick, The Voyage of Patience Goodspeed; Hess, Witness; Konigsburg, The Second Mrs. Gioconda; Lowry, The Giver; Philbrick, Revenge of the Whale; Taylor, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; Shakespeare Stories, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, English Workshop, First Course; and selected short stories and poems. The required novel for summer reading for sixth graders is Rules by Cynthia Lord. |
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Social StudiesThroughout the Middle School, the study of history is interwoven with geography and current events. While students acquire a considerable body of historical and geographical information, the emphasis of the program is on the development of concepts. Students are challenged to use their analytical abilities through reading, role-playing, discussion, and debate. Research skills, note taking, outlining, map making, and synthesizing information are developed with increasing sophistication. Appropriate use of the Internet as a resource is taught and, where possible, readings in English classes are related to the topics studied in history.
In the fifth grade, students investigate the Romans, the Saxons, the Vikings, and the Middle Ages and organize a springtime Medieval Faire. In addition, the grade participates in an integrated civil rights study culminating in group presentations. Associated texts include: Suzanne Art’s Early Times: The Story of the Middle Ages; J.F. Aylett’s In Search of History and Scholastic, The Roman World. Selected literature is read: Nye, Beowulf: A New Telling. Geography work focuses on map skills which are practiced throughout the year. Related field trips complement the program.
Sixth graders begin the year with an in-depth study of Nantucket Island and its geography, early history, and folklore. A fall highlight is a five-day trip to Nantucket, during which sixth graders develop a sense of community while engaging in activities of academic and historical interest. Sixth graders also study the Renaissance, early explorers, the beginnings of the American space program, and modern space exploration. Selected literature complements the program: Art, The Story of the Renaissance; Calliope magazine, Introduction to the Renaissance; Educational Research Council of Hawke, Davis, and Davis, Seeds of Change: The Story of Cultural Exchange after 1492; Peck, The Age of Europe; Murphy, Gone A-Whaling: The Lure of the Sea and the Hunt for the Great Whale and Prum, Rats, Bulls and Flying Machines.
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MathematicsThe Middle School program builds on the foundation laid in the Lower School and stresses the importance of computational skills, understanding and integrating concepts, applying logical reasoning, utilizing a variety of problem-solving techniques, and maintaining an appreciation and enjoyment of the subject. Students add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percents. Estimation techniques receive heavy emphasis. Students learn to convert numbers from fractions to either decimals or percents and solve a variety of problems to increase proficiency in all modalities. Furthermore, students explore elementary data analysis, pre-algebra topics, basic plane geometry, and probability concepts. With an emphasis on written work, students learn the importance of documenting their problem-solving and explaining their solutions both verbally and in writing. Calculators are used to solve time-consuming problems. Projects are an important tool for applying and integrating mathematical concepts. Games, cards, dice, and manipulatives are utilized to further practice and learn topics. Classroom activities provide students with the opportunity to work both individually and in small groups.
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World LanguagesIn the Middle School, fifth and sixth graders continue their study of Spanish, which they began in fourth grade. Spanish classes interest and intellectually stimulate all students while remaining developmentally appropriate. Activities are geared to listening comprehension, speech, pronunciation, and overall enjoyment of newly acquired skills. Songs, games, stories, and hands-on activities are among the devices used to teach the language. Both grades use textbooks and workbooks to support their lessons. Writing
and reading skills in Spanish are introduced late in the fifth grade year and elaborated further in sixth grade. Sixth grade students begin a more focused study of the language structures, including reading comprehension. Wherever possible, the Spanish teacher coordinates topics with the curriculum of the homeroom teacher. |
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ScienceMiddle School students have formal science classes four times every week. Using the Middle School science labs and our surrounding campus, students learn basic scientific methodologies through a variety of hands-on experiences in life, earth, and physical science. Students observe, make inferences, measure, classify, predict, control variables, formulate hypotheses, and interpret data. They reinforce their thinking skills and problem solving techniques, learn science concepts, and relate these concepts to their own lives. Fifth graders study the human body, flowers and seeds, and weather. Sixth graders study geology, learn to identify local birds and investigate their ecological role, and explore the topics of electricity and magnetism. |
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Technology & Media LiteracyTechnology and media literacy are essential aspects of the Middle School curriculum. The fifth grade curriculum includes a technology course that focuses on computer use and utilization of the internet. NCCS recognizes that computer use is not an end in itself, but rather a tool to facilitate students’ intellectual pursuits. NCCS teaches students about the appropriate and ethical use of the internet. To that end, students are encouraged to use technology in all academic areas, and internet safety is emphasized. Students regularly access the internet for research, and word processing is expected for most written work. All students have access to classroom desktops, wireless laptops, and the library media lab.
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LibraryThe Schlesinger Library has 14,000 volumes in its collection. The library includes a spacious work center, a comfortable reading room, and a media lab. Middle School students have library periods which are scheduled weekly. They have exposure to a variety of resources including digital cameras, computer projection equipment, an assortment of software packages, library databases, and high speed internet access.
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Creative ArtsMusic
Fifth grade students meet for music twice a week. Students sing, play the recorder, and study the elements of music, such as melody, rhythm, harmony and form, instruments of the orchestra, and music history. Toward the end of the school year, fifth graders concentrate on medieval music in preparation for their Medieval Faire. Sixth graders study sea chanties in September and October in conjunction with their study of Nantucket Island history. Later they explore broad aspects of singing, from the earliest known songs through the most recent pop, rock, and art music, ending with the study of opera in
the second semester. Fifth and sixth graders read, listen to, and perform music of all kinds in the classroom setting. Each grade participates in either orchestra or chorus once a week. Advanced students may participate as members of select ensembles or as soloists. Middle School musicians perform at numerous concerts both in and out of school during the course of the year.
Visual Art
In the Middle School, art lessons correlate with academic studies whenever possible. For example, fifth graders study stained glass and medieval architecture during their social studies unit on the Middle Ages; sixth graders study portraiture during their social studies unit on the Renaissance. A variety of techniques and processes of two and three dimensional media are explored in the art studio.
Woodshop
Fifth and sixth graders take weekly woodshop classes. Students practice skills such as planning, designing, measuring, sawing, and hammering. The children complete a variety of projects including pencil boxes, birdhouses, and chairs.
Drama
Middle School drama is offered once a week to sixth graders. Presentation skills and stage presence are practiced. Aspects of drama are also integrated into the Middle School English curriculum. |
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AthleticsThe Middle School sports program offers all students an opportunity to experience team sports at both the intramural and interscholastic level. For the fall and spring seasons, students select a sport of their choice. Daily practice focuses on skill development, teamwork, and strategy. Teams compete against other independent schools on Monday afternoons.
During the winter season, students participate in an intramural sports program. The season is divided in half, giving each student the opportunity to learn and develop the skills of two sports. Some sports are gender specific; others are offered for both genders separately, and a few are co-ed.
The options for sports are as follows:
Fall Season - soccer (boys/girls), field hockey (girls), tackle football (boys)
Winter Season - basketball (boys/girls), ice hockey (co-ed), paddle tennis (co-ed), yoga (co-ed), volleyball (co-ed), rhythmic gymnastics (girls)
Spring Season - lacrosse (boys/girls), baseball (boys), softball (girls) |
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Life SkillsIn fifth and sixth grades, Life Skills classes meet every other week and are primarily taught by the homeroom teachers. Students learn about, reflect on, and discuss topics such as good citizenship, puberty, decision making, friendships, relationships with peers, risk taking, communication skills, media literacy, and other issues and concerns of children this age.
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