Below is the Core Curriculum for the 7th Grade.

Language Arts

• Reading novels, short stories, and poems by authors on different cultures
• Making class presentations including oral reports and a mock trial
• Studying grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, vocabulary, and capitalization
• Writing activities include: a research paper, stories, business letter, journal entries, and poetry

Social Studies

Study of New York State and the United States - Part I

• Understanding the historical development of the United States from pre-Columbian Native Americans to the pre-Civil War period with emphasis on New York State history
• Identifying the major geographical features of the United States and their importance in the development of our nation
• Developing an understanding of the origins of American democracy and the writing of the United States Constitution
• Developing an appreciation of citizenship in a democratic society

Science

• Microbiology: studying plant and animal cells, microscopy
• Understanding systems of the body and disease
• Ecology: studying biomes, Wild Seasons novel
• Understanding respiration and photosynthesis
• Studying sexual and asexual reproduction
• Genetics: studying simple heredity

Math

• Performing four operations of arithmetic using fractions, decimals and integers
• Using proportions to solve percent applications
• Identifying geometric shapes and symbols and finding area and perimeter of polygons
• Solving one-step equations and graphing linear equations
• Finding measures of central tendency through computation and histograms

• Defining wellness and total health
• Understanding mental and social health
• Understanding growth, development, and nutrition
• Exploring diseases including HIV/AIDS
• Understanding the effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs
• Studying safety and emergency procedures

Physical Education

• Developing necessary skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity and maintain personal health
• Acquiring the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment
• Demonstrating responsible personal and social behavior
• Activities include: soccer, speedball, football, dance basketball, floor hockey, gymnastics, volleyball, badminton, lacrosse, softball, cooperative games

Art

• Aesthetics: understanding the role of art to discern what is beauty and truth
• Composition: Using the elements of design (shape, color, size, texture, and space)
• Drawing: demonstrating the use of line, texture, and values in a tonal drawing
• Critical thinking and problem solving through the use of numerous media and tools, learning to reach unique solutions to visual problems

Home and Careers

This course is 10 weeks/20 weeks.

• Recognizing how the adolescent is affected by self-esteem
• Introducing practical reading skills using the computer
• Completing computer modules in health and nutrition, consumer skills, and study skills
• Completing a career self-assessment
• Planning a career
• Completing a career research project

Technology

• Using a variety of hand tools and machines to change materials into new forms
• Using appropriate graphic and electronic tools and techniques to process information
• Generating ideas for possible solutions
• Implementing a solution for a given problem

Instrumental Music

Listening and performing accurately basic diatonic melodies in duple and triple meter

• Playing all 12 major scales
• Enhancing individual musicianship by improving concepts of tone, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, and balance in the band
• Recognizing different genres of music and applying the style to performance

Vocal Music

• Identifying, understanding and appreciating the elements of music
• Expressing feeling and beliefs regarding music and justifying these opinions
• Studying and identifying orchestra instruments of string, brass, woodwind, percussion, and keyboard families
• Identifying cultural contexts of music