7th+Grade+Full+Version

7th Girls Prepped ** Girls Prepped: Seventh Grade-- Individual/Community  ** || “What Should I Know About Myself, About Others, and About the World around Me?” Throughout the classes the emphasis at the 7th grade level in on **communication** and **setting boundaries**. Under the direction of Leslie Chandler, the middle school guidance counselor, teachers/advisors are trained to lead discussions that include **respect for adults**, **respect for peers**, and **respect for self**. ** The SHAPE Program in Physical Education **. Along with traditional physical education activities, the SHAPE program in the 7th grade continues educating about **personal hygiene** and **care** but also includes discussions of **body image, living a smoke-free life, making healthy food choices, and exercising regularly.** The fitness through sports curriculum reinforces **fair play, cooperation, respect for others, punctuality, self-control, and courtesy**. The girls also engage in a **Healthy Heart Unit**. An **oncologist** is brought in to show what a diseased lung (due to smoking) looks like compared to a healthy heart. ** Introduction to Technology ** : This class is designed to acquaint the girls with basic computer skills (keyboarding, internet use, Blackboard, etc.) so they will be proficient when they receive their laptops in the spring. Included is a serious look at **internet safety**, including precautionary instruction on what to look out for in cyber space, inappropriate text messaging and the risks of personal web spaces like Facebook. ** Curriculum Choices in English and American Studies **. The humanities again provide the perfect arena for interdisciplinary design. Although the emphasis is on American literature and history, the girls are guided to see their own country in relationship to **events that happened and are happening around the world** The 7th graders are encouraged to **stand up for what they believe** and, under the guidance of impassioned teachers, are led to **go outside their comfort zones.** A seminar style approach encourages **thinking outside the box**. These classes lend themselves to **service-learning activities** that include projects, research, and community outreach. Each discipline is also encouraged to provide **public speaking opportunities**. ** Fine Arts. ** From dance, music, drama, orchestra, and art, the fine arts classes open to 7th graders, our girls gain performance savvy: they learn **to create**; they **perform individually** and **within a group**; they gain **public speaking** knowledge; and they understand the value of **practice and repetition**. ** Science **. In science class, our 7th graders continue to work **individually and in groups**. Their knowledge about the scientific method parallels their work in composing an analytical essay in English, thus reinforcing **critical thinking and creative problem** **solving.** Curriculum topics include the following:    On going study of human reproduction    Formation of gametes    Age appropriate information on STDs ** World Languages. ** Begun in the 7th grade, the World Language program not only introduces the girls to the language of the country but also to its **culture, politics, and geography.** ** Learning Center/Skills Class **. This resource is also available for 7th graders, where the skills they learned in the 6th grade are reinforced. || ** Middle School Assembly. ** This break in the day provides another opportunity for communication. The assembly is opened with the **Pledge of Allegiance** and a **“motivational moment,”** usually delivered by one of the girls. This is a time of **sharing**, **caring,** and **coming together**. ** The Advisory System. ** Every teacher in grades 6 – 12 has a group of advisees for whom he or she is responsible. These groups meet weekly in the middle school to provide opportunities for informal conversation. Topics already explored in the classroom oftentimes find themselves revisited during advisories. Because the group is small and the time less structured, the advisory session is perfect for reinforcing topics introduced in other areas. Also, during advisory time, the girls and their teachers read together from **Junior Scholastic** magazine, beginning the process of **looking outward**, of seeing **how other children live in other parts of the world**. As in the other grades, these girls recycle during this time. ** Lunch and Learn Time. ** New to the 7th grade and part of the **Girls Prepped** initiative, this program occurs during the fourth quarter. Topics include age-appropriate **human development skills** such as self-esteem issues in respect to the **body, mind, and spirit**; beginning discussions on **substance abuse**, **peer pressures**, **relationships with males**, and **setting personal goals**. ** The Extracurricular Program **. Every Friday is club day. Both **individual and team opportunities** are available, providing practice in **personal responsibility**, **group interaction**, and all the **skills** introduced in the Learning Center. Of particular note is **Peer Power**, a club that utilizes high school girls to serve as role models and mentors focusing on the **developmental, social, and emotional needs of a 13-year-old girl**. Various topics include **friendships, cliques, dating, appropriate dress, communication, and body image.** ** Retreats and Field Trips **. These activities in the 7th grade enhance the classroom experience as well as provide exposure to coordinate activities. One of these explorations is **Downtown Adventure Day.** Tying into the **global instruction** in English and American Studies, Downtown Adventure Day is an off-campus experience where the girls learn about their **community in action**. Another is the spring field trip to the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum, an opportunity that joins the study of __Raisin in the Sun__ to the history of the **Civil Rights Movement.** || ** “Girls Prepped” Time. ** One Special Period per month will be designated “Girls Prepped” time and will be scheduled a quarter in advance. In conjunction with the Middle School guidance counselor, the advisors will conduct the first Girls Prepped session which will deal with effective communication, setting boundaries, and body image. Also included at this level is the already mentioned Lunch and Learn Time. See the list on page one for other topics. ||
 * In the Classroom **
 * Outside the Classroom. These activities are the same as those in 6th grade. **
 * Outside the Classroom. These activities are the same as those in 6th grade. **