The academic program is the anchor of the Middle School experience. As educators, we are committed to providing students with a strong foundation of content, the facility to think critically, and the executive skills to manage time. The electives program provides students with opportunities to pursue interests and apply skills they have honed in experiential, collaborative projects. These choices are structured appropriately from a developmental perspective. Rising students in grades 5 and 6 have a choice in performing arts and world language (grade 6), they continue their interdisciplinary work in Ellis Entrepreneurs, and a keyboarding course is now required in grade 5. Students in grades 7 and 8 have a variety of elective options. This better equips students to consider additional elements and the impact of a curricular decision as they move into the Upper School and beyond.

 

Our continuing commitment to expand our Middle School Computer Science program has led to a new elective in addition to FIRST Lego League and Mobile Robotics. iOS Apps by Design will offer grade 8 students a design-based approach to creating their own apps for the iPhone using Swift and Xcode. Students are guided through the design thinking process and encouraged to consider the user as they storyboard, create a mock-up, code, test, and revise apps. As we work to refine a comprehensive computer science program for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, all Middle School students will take Creative Programming I in grade 5 and Creative Programming II in grade 6.

 

Next year, in addition to Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS), The Fairchild Challenge will be offered as an elective in grades 7 and 8. Students will work together to complete a series of interdisciplinary challenges centered on environmental issues, and project work will be submitted to local sponsoring organization Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens for entry in the Fairchild Challenge competition.

 

Our unique art program in grade 8 offers three distinct experiences each term and has been expanded to include a mix of new technology. We are pleased to add Tim Israel as one of the grade 8 art teachers. Mr. Israel is excited about the introduction of a film course into the trimester rotation. This revitalized curriculum will also allow students to explore movie-making technologies, including both Super 8 film and digital video. Mr. Israel’s previously taught art electives will be incorporated into the grade 6 and 8 art curricula.

 

Sara Sturdevant will transition from grade 8 art teacher to offer Maker Shop, a STEAM elective, in conjunction with Tim Howard. In this course, students explore elements of design by utilizing the Foundry and TechShop. Ultimately, they work to create a collaborative project that responds to a design need in the school. Additionally, Mr. Howard will develop the podcasting program he created in the Lower School into a Middle School Elective: Podcasting 101. This new course introduces students to the art of podcasting and students use the design thinking process to plan and create meaningful podcasts for the Ellis community.