 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| MIDDLES 9 to 11 year olds |
Jackie Farah, Teacher
Jackie joined the Neskowin Valley School in the summer of 2005 in the dual roles of teaching and curriculum
development. She is a certified teacher with a Master of Arts in Teaching from George Fox University. Her
undergraduate work was in literature and math, and she has post-graduate work in Counseling Psychology and English
as a Second Language. She taught in private schools in Vancouver, Washington, and Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia, following
a career in medically related research, education, and human resources management.
Curriculum
The students in grades 3, 4 and 5 experience the excitement of applying their reading and writing skills to the
acquisition of knowledge. They move from learning to read into reading to learn and have mastered enough of the
skills of writing that they can put their own ideas on paper. Using previously acquired mathematical concepts and
problem-solving strategies, they move to higher level analysis of mathematical relationships. Consequently, during
these middle years, students actively explore a rich treasure of topics with depth and detail through integrated lessons
in science, social studies, and literature. Our curriculum responds to and satisfies the curiosity and eagerness middle
grade students bring to the learning process. A mixed-age class assures that learning expectations and instruction will
focus on the individual needs and abilities, and we challenge each student to perform at higher levels and to reflect on
his or her thinking in increasingly complex ways. The goal in all of the work is to build each student’s sense of
confidence and competence so that he or she feels empowered to engage in increasingly difficult academic tasks. At
the same time, Middle students are developing the discipline and self-motivation required to be successful learners
through the coming years.
Literacy: Reading and Writing
The best way to improve reading and writing is to do a lot of it. Middles continue the practice of writing in journals daily
but also learn how to conference about their writing, revise it, edit, and publish. With time given for free writing as well
as assigned projects, they learn how to organized and develop their ideas into paragraphs and essays as they work
with personal narratives, poetry, research reports, descriptive pieces, and fiction. The focus is primarily on writing
fluency—feeling comfortable with putting ideas on paper. The quality of their writing is enhanced through discussions
of the books students are reading. At any given time, a student will be working with three different books—a free-
choice read (a book of her or his own choosing usually read at home), a shared text assigned to a group or the whole
class (fiction or non-fiction used as the basis for class discussion), and our read-aloud book (usually a higher-level text
read by the teacher and used to stimulate deeper reflection about images, themes and the writer’s craft). Books are
selected for the quality of the writing and to tie into topics the class is studying; students respond to the texts through
conversation, writing, and art. The goal is to arouse the students’ interest in and excitement about the written word and
to build their appreciation and comprehension of a variety of genres.
Math and Science
Mathematics is the use of symbols to show relationships and solve problems. In these middle elementary grades, all
aspects of math become more abstract—the concepts, language, functions, and symbols. Students work with fractions,
symmetry, area and perimeter, multi-digit multiplication and division, representation of data in tables and graphs, and
algebraic thinking. As part of developing their mathematical fluency, students are asked to give more thought and
attention to how they solve a problem than to the specific answer. Students are introduced to new concepts through
the use of concrete objects (“manipulatives”) and every day situations (“problem-solving”). Understanding and
retention of concepts is enhanced as students write out how they thought through and solved a problem. Sharing their
strategies with the group and hearing the approaches that others took broadens their understanding of the ways they
can work with numbers and symbols. Students also practice basic skills using more traditional paper-pencil text books
with each student working at his or her own level and rate.
The science curriculum develops the Middles’ understanding of the natural world. Scientific skills of prediction,
observation, measurement, record-keeping, and reporting are practiced in the context of classroom lab experiments
and outdoor research activities. This year, Middles moved from studying the properties of water, through the water
cycle and the watershed, into the biology of aquatic life in a fresh water stream. Rather than working from textbooks,
students encounter science in formal experiments designed to answer the questions raised by the class. They use the
streams and riparian areas on the school grounds for field work, and expand on their own experiences through field
trips to related sites and facilities. Science studies also allow students to integrate and apply their writing, drawing, and
math skills.
The Arts: Art, Drama, Music and P.E.
The Middles have a one-hour art session weekly with artist and teacher, Judith Schlicting. They work in a variety of art
media with assignments that develop their mechanical skills and stretch their imaginations. Art is also incorporated into
their classroom work, in combination with reading, writing, science, and social studies. Judith also has the Middles for
drama once a week where she helps them develop imagination, build confidence, practice performing skills, and
prepare for major drama productions held each year. They also use what they learn from drama in the regular
classroom. This year the Middles staged poetry readings and readers’ theater presentations for the whole school
during Gather ’Rounds. They also participated in the Biography Ball, reciting monologues in costume, and drew
portraits of the explorers which were the subjects of their research papers. Students have music as a weekly class and
join in all-school singing during the Monday morning Gather ‘Round. The Middles have physical education two times a
week, emphasizing enjoyment of physical activity, teamwork, and an appreciation of others’ skills. Swimming lessons
and tennis lessons at a local facility are offered each spring.
Integrating Curricula
At NVS, we integrate curricula so that one subject builds on another, leading to deeper understanding and richer
learning. For example, our study of Lewis and Clark integrated literature (historical fiction), writing (journals, research,
poetry, and descriptive essays), math (map coordinates, expense records, calculation of distance), art (drawings from
nature), science (plant identification), and music (fiddle tunes of the period). There was also a logical connection
between our watershed study and the Lewis and Clark expedition which extended the students’ understanding of
geography. This kind of integration is possible with most of our studies and a natural response to the ways children
learn best.
Jackie joined the Neskowin Valley School in the summer of 2005 in the dual roles of teaching and curriculum
development. She is a certified teacher with a Master of Arts in Teaching from George Fox University. Her
undergraduate work was in literature and math, and she has post-graduate work in Counseling Psychology and English
as a Second Language. She taught in private schools in Vancouver, Washington, and Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia, following
a career in medically related research, education, and human resources management.
Curriculum
The students in grades 3, 4 and 5 experience the excitement of applying their reading and writing skills to the
acquisition of knowledge. They move from learning to read into reading to learn and have mastered enough of the
skills of writing that they can put their own ideas on paper. Using previously acquired mathematical concepts and
problem-solving strategies, they move to higher level analysis of mathematical relationships. Consequently, during
these middle years, students actively explore a rich treasure of topics with depth and detail through integrated lessons
in science, social studies, and literature. Our curriculum responds to and satisfies the curiosity and eagerness middle
grade students bring to the learning process. A mixed-age class assures that learning expectations and instruction will
focus on the individual needs and abilities, and we challenge each student to perform at higher levels and to reflect on
his or her thinking in increasingly complex ways. The goal in all of the work is to build each student’s sense of
confidence and competence so that he or she feels empowered to engage in increasingly difficult academic tasks. At
the same time, Middle students are developing the discipline and self-motivation required to be successful learners
through the coming years.
Literacy: Reading and Writing
The best way to improve reading and writing is to do a lot of it. Middles continue the practice of writing in journals daily
but also learn how to conference about their writing, revise it, edit, and publish. With time given for free writing as well
as assigned projects, they learn how to organized and develop their ideas into paragraphs and essays as they work
with personal narratives, poetry, research reports, descriptive pieces, and fiction. The focus is primarily on writing
fluency—feeling comfortable with putting ideas on paper. The quality of their writing is enhanced through discussions
of the books students are reading. At any given time, a student will be working with three different books—a free-
choice read (a book of her or his own choosing usually read at home), a shared text assigned to a group or the whole
class (fiction or non-fiction used as the basis for class discussion), and our read-aloud book (usually a higher-level text
read by the teacher and used to stimulate deeper reflection about images, themes and the writer’s craft). Books are
selected for the quality of the writing and to tie into topics the class is studying; students respond to the texts through
conversation, writing, and art. The goal is to arouse the students’ interest in and excitement about the written word and
to build their appreciation and comprehension of a variety of genres.
Math and Science
Mathematics is the use of symbols to show relationships and solve problems. In these middle elementary grades, all
aspects of math become more abstract—the concepts, language, functions, and symbols. Students work with fractions,
symmetry, area and perimeter, multi-digit multiplication and division, representation of data in tables and graphs, and
algebraic thinking. As part of developing their mathematical fluency, students are asked to give more thought and
attention to how they solve a problem than to the specific answer. Students are introduced to new concepts through
the use of concrete objects (“manipulatives”) and every day situations (“problem-solving”). Understanding and
retention of concepts is enhanced as students write out how they thought through and solved a problem. Sharing their
strategies with the group and hearing the approaches that others took broadens their understanding of the ways they
can work with numbers and symbols. Students also practice basic skills using more traditional paper-pencil text books
with each student working at his or her own level and rate.
The science curriculum develops the Middles’ understanding of the natural world. Scientific skills of prediction,
observation, measurement, record-keeping, and reporting are practiced in the context of classroom lab experiments
and outdoor research activities. This year, Middles moved from studying the properties of water, through the water
cycle and the watershed, into the biology of aquatic life in a fresh water stream. Rather than working from textbooks,
students encounter science in formal experiments designed to answer the questions raised by the class. They use the
streams and riparian areas on the school grounds for field work, and expand on their own experiences through field
trips to related sites and facilities. Science studies also allow students to integrate and apply their writing, drawing, and
math skills.
The Arts: Art, Drama, Music and P.E.
The Middles have a one-hour art session weekly with artist and teacher, Judith Schlicting. They work in a variety of art
media with assignments that develop their mechanical skills and stretch their imaginations. Art is also incorporated into
their classroom work, in combination with reading, writing, science, and social studies. Judith also has the Middles for
drama once a week where she helps them develop imagination, build confidence, practice performing skills, and
prepare for major drama productions held each year. They also use what they learn from drama in the regular
classroom. This year the Middles staged poetry readings and readers’ theater presentations for the whole school
during Gather ’Rounds. They also participated in the Biography Ball, reciting monologues in costume, and drew
portraits of the explorers which were the subjects of their research papers. Students have music as a weekly class and
join in all-school singing during the Monday morning Gather ‘Round. The Middles have physical education two times a
week, emphasizing enjoyment of physical activity, teamwork, and an appreciation of others’ skills. Swimming lessons
and tennis lessons at a local facility are offered each spring.
Integrating Curricula
At NVS, we integrate curricula so that one subject builds on another, leading to deeper understanding and richer
learning. For example, our study of Lewis and Clark integrated literature (historical fiction), writing (journals, research,
poetry, and descriptive essays), math (map coordinates, expense records, calculation of distance), art (drawings from
nature), science (plant identification), and music (fiddle tunes of the period). There was also a logical connection
between our watershed study and the Lewis and Clark expedition which extended the students’ understanding of
geography. This kind of integration is possible with most of our studies and a natural response to the ways children
learn best.
