September 9, 2018 Back to School Night Dear Parents, Welcome to Back-to-School Night, our annual tradition where the Nueva faculty provide you with an overview of the Middle School experience. We look forward to sharing the energy and excitement of this evening with you as we engage in conversation and experience the promise of the year ahead. The following document is a compilation of course descriptions written by your children's teachers; it gives a glimpse into the depth and breadth of our Middle School curriculum, fifth through eighth grades. Of course, it is also only a snapshot or at best a travel plan; in the constructivist teaching approach, areas of inquiry emerge and projects are added or amended as we get to know students’ needs and passions. At just over 100 pages, these descriptions offer important details about course goals, projects, and expectations. Start by reading the descriptions of the courses your child will take this semester and this year. If you have time, let your curiosity lead you beyond that grade to read about the year to come. Or perhaps you want to understand the scope of Design Engineering or SEL, so you read descriptions of that discipline at all grade levels. Most enjoyable might be to imagine yourself a seventh and eighth grader as you peruse the list of elective offerings. We hope you have the feeling many adults have after coming to Back to School Night: “Can we please come back to class and be middle schoolers at Nueva?” As always, please feel free to contact me or your child's teachers with any questions or comments. Our very best, Liza Raynal Head of Middle School © 2018 The Nueva School | Middle School Overview | Back to School Night | Page i Contents GRADE 5 ................................................................................................. 1 Design Thinking, Engineering, and Computer Science ............................................. 1 Math ............................................................................................................................... 2 Art ................................................................................................................................... 5 Music .............................................................................................................................. 6 SEL................................................................................................................................... 7 Study Skills ..................................................................................................................... 9 Science ........................................................................................................................ 10 Writing .......................................................................................................................... 11 Humanities ................................................................................................................... 12 GRADE 6 ............................................................................................... 15 Humanities ................................................................................................................... 15 Japanese I ................................................................................................................... 17 Mandarin I ................................................................................................................... 19 Accelerated Mandarin 1 ............................................................................................ 20 Spanish I ....................................................................................................................... 21 Math ............................................................................................................................. 23 Design Thinking, Engineering, and Computer Science ........................................... 27 Visual Art ...................................................................................................................... 28 Music ............................................................................................................................ 30 SEL................................................................................................................................. 30 Study Skills ................................................................................................................... 32 Science ........................................................................................................................ 33 Writing .......................................................................................................................... 34 GRADE 7 ............................................................................................... 36 Humanities ................................................................................................................... 36 Writing .......................................................................................................................... 40 Math ............................................................................................................................. 41 Japanese II .................................................................................................................. 45 Mandarin II .................................................................................................................. 47 Accelerated Mandarin II ............................................................................................ 48 Spanish II ...................................................................................................................... 49 SEL................................................................................................................................. 51 Chemistry ..................................................................................................................... 53 Design Thinking, Engineering, and Computer Science ........................................... 54 GRADE 8 ............................................................................................... 56 Humanities (Fall Semester) ......................................................................................... 56 © 2018 The Nueva School | Middle School Overview | Back to School Night | Page i Humanities (Spring Semester) .................................................................................... 60 Writing .......................................................................................................................... 62 Math ............................................................................................................................. 64 Japanese III ................................................................................................................. 68 Mandarin III ................................................................................................................. 69 Spanish III ..................................................................................................................... 71 Science ........................................................................................................................ 72 SEL................................................................................................................................. 73 Design Thinking, Engineering, and Computer Science ........................................... 75 Recital Projects ............................................................................................................ 77 GRADES 5–8 .......................................................................................... 78 Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Physical Education ............................................................... 78 Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Physical Education ...................................................... 79 Our Nueva Library ....................................................................................................... 80 Lit Club ......................................................................................................................... 81 ELECTIVES: GRADES 7–8 ........................................................................... 83 Science Rap Academy: The Elective ........................................................................ 83 Embedded Computing Explorations ......................................................................... 84 Computer Programming Explorations ....................................................................... 84 Fabricating Your Artistic (or Engineering) Vision ...................................................... 85 Design Thinking the Garden ....................................................................................... 86 FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics .................................................................................. 86 Current Events ............................................................................................................. 87 Introduction to Economics ......................................................................................... 88 Politics! ......................................................................................................................... 88 Debate! .......................................................................................................................