Specialist Curriculum

SIXTH GRADE
Learning Expectations

Getting along with others
How can I express feelings in healthy ways? 
How can I learn to be more respectful of others? 
How can I prevent & manage stress? 
What makes someone a good friend?

Bullies and Bystanders
What is bullying? 
What can I do if bullying happens to me or someone else? 
How can I stand up for myself and others?

Keeping Healthy 
How can I keep myself healthy? 
What do I want to know about the body system and puberty?

What should we eat? 
How healthful is my eating? 
What are healthful snacks to choose? 
What makes it hard to make healthy choices?

Students will:

Practice the following health life skills: Decision-making, Goal Setting, Communication Skills, Resisting Peer Pressure, Assertiveness, Knowing, Recognizing & Managing Emotions, Anger & Stress Management, Relationship Skills, Social Awareness & Empathy, Appreciating Diversity, Using Resources, Analyzing Influences and Health Advocacy.

SEVENTH GRADE
Learning Objectives

Feelings and Life Skills 
How do I see myself? 
How can we deal with feelings and stressful social situations? 
How can I make new friends? 

Resolving Conflicts and Preventing Bullying 
Does the media make us aggressive? 
What can I do when I’m angry? 
When is it bullying/sexual harassment and when is it just fooling around? 
How can we handle bullying and sexual harassment? 

Understanding Substances 
What harm is there in using tobacco, alcohol or marijuana? 
Why do some teens use substances and others don’t? 
How do advertisers manipulate teens?

Students will:

Practice the following health life skills: Decision-making, Goal Setting, Communication Skills, Resisting Peer Pressure, Assertiveness, Knowing, Recognizing & Man-aging Emotions, Anger & Stress Management, Relationship Skills, Social Awareness & Empathy, Appreciating Diversity, Using Resources, Analyzing Influences and Health Advocacy.

EIGHTH GRADE
Learning Objectives

Transitions to High School 
What are my hopes and dreams for high school? 
What do I want to know about high school life? 
How can I turn my dreams into reality? 

Healthy Relationships 
What are the signs of an unhealthy relationship? 
How can I handle bullying and sexual harassment? 
How can I help a friend? 

Eating Well 
How healthy is my eating? 
What makes it hard to make healthy choices? 
How can I maintain a healthy weight? 

Know Your Body* 
What do I need to know to be sexually healthy? 
How can I say no to risky sexual behavior? 
What questions do I have about dating? 

* Requires parent/guardian permission

Students will:

Practice the following health life skills: Decision-making, Goal Setting, Communication Skills, Resisting Peer Pressure, Assertiveness, Knowing, Recognizing & Managing Emotions, Anger & Stress Management, Relationship Skills, Social Awareness & Empathy, Appreciating Diversity, Using Resources, Analyzing Influences and Health Advocacy

Learning Objectives
Literature Appreciation: continue to grow as life-long readers and build their repertoire of reading strategies 

Online Literacy: how to communicate and collaborate in an online community safely and appropriately 
Information Literacy: how to think critically to find, evaluate, use and share information for a purpose

Students will:

• Collaborate and communicate with students and teachers using GoogleDocs
• Access current technology tools to interact and learn from the global community
• Utilize a variety of devices and platforms to accomplish tasks
• Explore library resources in new media formats 24/7

Mission
The Health and Physical Education Department offers courses that teach students to make healthy decisions and develop lifelong physical fitness. Our students are provided with an educational setting through which they can gain knowledge and understanding of themselves physically, socially and emotionally. Our program is based on themes of character and value that teach students lifelong lessons on which they can use in the larger school community and in their personal lives.

Meet the Physical Education Teacher
Hi, my name is David Richardson

Call Me: 617.349.7780 x 003 (office) or x 004 (gymnasium)
Email Mr. Richardson

To learn more about the PE program, please visit the District Physical Education department website.

Art

Grade 6
All students will take Art for two of the three trimesters, two days per rotation. They will learn to experiment with a variety of media and techniques, observe their world in new ways by finding art in the everyday, and explore the elements and principles of design. Students will develop a portfolio of art pieces, including some for exhibition.

Grade 7 & 8
All students will take yearlong Art twice per rotation. They will learn to understand art in its historical and cultural contexts, identify stereotypes and construct new meanings through art, and critique their own art and the work of others. Students will develop a portfolio of art pieces, including some for exhibition.

Drama

Grade 6 
All students will take drama for two of the three trimesters, two days per rotation. These classes introduce the students to the basic principles of theatre. The students will study: team building; speaking with confidence; dramatic literature analysis; introductory elements of technical theater; and preliminary directing and playwriting. Through the sixth grade drama program students will become confident performers and create a strong sense of community. 

Grade 7 & 8 
Students will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of theatre by electing to continue studying drama and/or by performing in a play. The theater elective will strengthen students’ abilities in creative writing and ensemble building. Students’ mastery in drama will be fortified through projects involving directing, playwriting and technical theater. Through the elective drama program students will become skilled artists with a well-rounded knowledge of all aspects of theater arts.

Music

Upper school students will get to explore and experiment in different genres of music discovering them through singing, playing, listening, and composing. Students will have the opportunity to perform in a band, string orchestra, chorus, or theater production by signing up for those electives.

General Music: All students will take year long General Music twice per rotation. They will learn to listen to and respond critically to different styles and genres of music.

Instrumental Music: Will be offered to all students who wish to continue playing their instruments. They will receive one small group lesson per week and learn to develop further their ensemble playing by being part of a band or string orchestra.

View Mr. DeWitte's Classroom Web Site >>