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5th Grade Curriculum
Teachers: Betty Plichta – Math & Science, Allyson Uzzle – Humanities

Math/Science Units/Themes Sept – Oct Nov – Dec Jan – Feb March – April May – June  
Math overall math assess-
ment,
place value
multiplication & division, families
beginning Algebra
data gathering		 division,
measure-
ment,
graphing data,
coordinate graphing
fractions
>>>>>>>>> 		 >>>>>>>> 
decimals,
percents,
geometry – area and perimeter
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 		 >>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
geometry – circum-
ference
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>ratio & proportion		 >>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
geometry – volume
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>>proba-
bility		  
Science scientific method & data gathering
 		 surveys & experimen-
tation
 		 using scientific tools physics: the forces of nature. Begin bridge making or energy efficient houses project continue with projects
presenta-
tion in early June		  
Language
Arts		 induction
week,
introduce DMS to fables
myths &
articles
 
 
baseline
writing: goals
 
 
individual
reading
assess-
ments		 grammar-
introduce
paragraph
topic
sentence,
continue DMS,
introduce
word
detective
writing:
myth explaining
natural
phenomenon
 
reading:
The Search for Delicious		 continue grammar, DMS/Six Way
paragraphs
word detective
 
 
writing:
continue
mythology
 
 
reading:
The Egypt Game
 
 		 continue grammar, DMS/Six Way
paragraphs
word detective
 
 
writing:
personal
narrative to
create a
memoir of
family
 
reading:
Jackie Robinson In the Year of the Boar,
numerous
trade books & articles		 continue grammar, DMS/Six Way
para-
graphs
word detective
 
writing:
essays
profiling
Greeks of the
Golden Age
reading:
various transla-
tions of The Illiad
The Odyssey & Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World		 continue grammar, DMS/Six Way
para-
graphs
word detective
 
Writing:
groups work to develop religion booklets
 
reading:
a variety of
trade books on world religion
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
History Mesopo-
tamia:
geography
mythology
govern-
ment
invention & growth of an empire
 		 continue
exploration of
Mesopo-
tamia
timeline 7 development
of homework
choices for
Museum of
Ancient
Civilizations		 apply homework
choices to
ancient Egypt,
create timeline of ancient culture
geography
mythology
government
invention		 compara-
tive
examina-
tion of ancient India & China,
apply homework
choices		 Greece &
Rome
mythology
democracy
begin study of
world religions		 groups work to create religion booklets
Field Trips/
Classroom
Events		 Madden Environ-
mental Center		 Opus 40
NYC Trip		   Norrie Point Environ-
mental Center		 oral presenta-
tions, profiling
Greek achieve-
ments		 Madden Environ-
mental Center overnight trip

6th Grade Curriculum
Teachers: Betty Plichta – Math & Science, Allyson Uzzle – Humanities

Units/
Theme		 Sept – Oct Nov – Dec Jan – Feb March – April May – June    
Math review & assess-
ment
 
order of opera-
tions
 
Algebra		 decimals,
number theory & fractions
fraction opera-
tions		 collection & display-
ing data
propor-
tional relation-
ships		 geometric relation-
ships
angles, measure-ment, area, perimeter volume		 integers, graphs & functions
 
probability		    
Science biology, cells,
classifica-tion, evolution, heredity, adapta-
tion & genetic engineer-
ing		 skeletal
& muscular systems		 respira-
tory &
circula-
tory
systems		 digestive, excretory
& reproduc-
tive systems		 endocrine & nervous systems    
Language
Arts		 apply DMS to fables, myths,
short stories,
and articles
effective sentence structure
the topic sentence
reading:
Single Shard
 		 continue applying DMS
grammar,
word detective
 
 
 
 
 
reading:
Single Shard
Chinese Cinderella
writing:
compar-
ative
essay
 
building the paragraph		 grammar
DMS & word detective
exploring the paragraph
narrative intro-
duced
 
 
 
reading:
Shabanu Daughter of the Wind
writing:
character analysis and book themes		 continue
grammar
DMS and Six
Way Para-
graphs
 
 
 
 
reading:
Parvana’s Journey
 
writing:
essay examin-
ing book themes
 
 		 grammar
DMS and Six Way Paragraphs
 
 
writing persuasively
 
 
 
reading:
choice book
 
 
writing:
book review
begin children’s
book		 continue
grammar DMS
Six Way Para-
graphs
poetry
 
 
 
 
reading:
Farewell to Manzanar
 
writing:
family memoir
complete children’s book		  
History intro to Asia:
mapping
what is a civiliza-
tion?
what is a culture?
 
timeline 5,000 BCE – 0
Ancient China		 review early
peoples of India
geography
mythology
govern-
ment
inventions
daily life &
growth of an
empire		 Mesopo-
tamia
geography/cause & effect
govern-
ment
mythology
inventions & daily life
timeline
5,000 BCE-0		 Russia 5000
BCE-0
timeline
examination of
ancient civilization & peoples		 begin world
religions:
Islam
Judaism
Christianity
Buddhism		 begin ultimate
tour of Asia
independent
projects:
students research asian country of their choice
creating a poster and oral presentation from their research		  
Field Trips/
Class-
room
Events		 Madden
Environ-
mental
Center		 Opus 40
NYC Trip		     Norrie Point
Environ-
mental
Center		 6-7 Lake George YMCA
Overnight		  

7th Grade Curriculum
Teachers: AnnMarie Callan – Humanities, Peter Laves – Math/Science

Units/
Theme		 Sept – Oct Oct – Nov Nov – Dec Jan – Feb Feb – March April – June
Math review arithmetic:
order of operations,
integer arithmetic, fractions, decimals
percents, estimation		 fundamen-
tal alge-
braic concepts, exponents, different number systems: ancient, alternate bases		 squares/
square roots & geometric applica-
tions
set theory, subsets of real numbers		 ratio & proportion
tilings of the plane		 linear relations;
tables, graphs, equations.
applying the
Pytha-
gorean
Theorem		 geometric solids;
surface area & volume,
platonic solids
Euler’s Equation
Science FOSS astronomy: ancient, terrestrial & lunar FOSS astronomy:
planetary
astronomy		 FOSS astronomy:
cosmology		 FOSS
geology		 FOSS
geology		 FOSS
geology
Language
Arts		 review
summer reading assign-
ments;
poetry study–
Workbooks-Classical Vocabulary, Writing Skills 		nigerian proverbs,
The Other Side of Truth, by B. Naidoo		 The Forest People, Colin Tirnbul;
compare/
contrast essay; storytelling in the oral tradition		 Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz
Cont--Classical Vocabulary & Writing Skills		 Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,
Literary elemants–
point of view, character studies & themes		 magical realism study. Gabriel Garcia Marquez
History map skills;
geographical terms-
political and physical
Ongoing		 early african kingdoms; Great Zimbabwe,
Kush, Timbuktu		 african cultures: Bantu migrations, central rainforest pygmies Latin American geography;
Early L. American empires (Maya, Aztec, Inca)		 contem-
porary Latin America-
imperialism & coloni-
zation		 a tour of Latin America
Field Trips/
Classroom
Events		 Madden Environmental Center;
Opus 40		 West African drumming -Amadou
NYC Museum Trip		 observa-
tory trip		 geology trips >>>>>>>>  Lake George YMCA Camp

8th Grade Curriculum
Teachers: AnnMarie Callan – Humanities, Peter Laves – Math/Science

Units/
Theme		 Sept – Oct Oct – Nov Nov – Dec Jan – Feb Feb – March April – June
Math review arithmetic:
order of operations,
integer arithmetic, fractions, decimals
percents, percent applica-
tions		 review of algebraic concepts. Solving 1, 2 & multi- step eqs, exponents, logic, set theory & probability ratio/ proportion,
linear eqs & coordinate graphing
inequalities in 1 & 2, variables, parallel
line geometry		 solving linear systems graphically & algebraic-
ally, geometric transfor-
mations		 polynomial arithmetic & factoring, quadratic functions,
radicals		 algebraic fractions, right triangle
trigono-
metry
Science FOSS
astronomy:
ancient,
terrestrial,
lunar		 FOSS
astronomy:
planetary
astronomy		 FOSS
astronomy:
cosmology		 FOSS
geology		 FOSS
geology		 FOSS
geology
Language Arts Workbooks-
Classical Vocabulary 2,
Writing Skills ;
Review summer reading; poetry unit		 short stories, Edgar Allen Poe,
The Bronze Bow, Elisabeth George Speare		 informative essay-
Roman Civilization		 european fairy tales, a cultural study;
mono-
logues
choice book reading assignment		 original tales, illustrated manu-
scripts;
Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino		 “I believe” speeches,
The Outsiders, S.E.Hinton
History The Rise of the Roman Republic Republic to Empire–Roman Emperor study The Sacking of Rome!!!
The Middle Ages		 Feudal society;
monastic society		 The Enlightenment
(technology and education)		 Continued
Field Trips/
Classroom
Events		 Madden Env.
Center
Opus 40		 Gladiator
NYC Trip		 observatory trip assorted
geological
hikes		  
>>>>>>> 		 Washing-
ton D.C. trip