Upper School (Grade7-12) - Greater Grace International School

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Middle School Grades 7 and 8

The middle-school years mark a significant transition from elementary school to high school. Personal discipline and organization become increasingly important as students move from class to class. The amount of homework increases, and behavioral and academic expectations are higher. All of our middle school coursework is designed to prepare our students for a college-prep course load in high school. Students in these grades who have not achieved a very high level of English proficiency will require intensive EAL instruction in order to advance and succeed in high school coursework.

English Literature and Language

For the various aspects of English Language Arts, our students work with literature in the Mirrors and Windows program. Grammar, language skills and writing are taught creatively and practiced systematically all year long. These classes provide rich and varied opportunities for students to practice the sort of reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking strategies they will need for high school and beyond. Students are also expected to complete specific outside reading during the year, including classic novels such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Bronze Bow, and Shane (grade 7) and Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, and The Hiding Place. (grade 8)

Social Studies

In grade 7, The focus is on “geographical literacy”. This term can be described as “the ability to use geographic understanding and geographic reasoning to make far-reaching decisions.” We target two areas of our world to teach these skills: Europe and Russia, and Asia and the Pacific. Students benefit from the strong reading and writing support embedded in the World Studies texts, which focus on the history, culture and geography of these two distinct regions.

In Grade 8, students begin the first of two, year-long courses in World History. This first year, students will study history from the dawn of civilization through to the Renaissance. Students are encouraged to explore the past and delve into the twists and turns of world history through reading, writing, research and class discussions.

Mathematics

The grade 7 course is a pre-algebra class .Students learn with the highly structured Saxon instructional plan, featuring time to learn, time to process, and time to practice. This course focuses on the algebra concept of linear relationships, including ideas about proportional relationships. Students learn to understand the relationship of equations to their graphs, as well as to tables and contextual situations for linear functions. In addition, work in algebra extends into simplifying and solving simple expressions and equations. The main concept from geometry in grade seven is similarity of polygons, which also draws on ideas about proportion. Students apply their understanding of ratio in data based situations.

In 8th grade, students take Algebra 1. This course covers all topics in a first-year algebra course, from proofs, statistics, and probability to algebra-based, real-world problems. Students begin developing the more complex skills and understanding required for high school level mathematics.

Science

Science for grade 7 Is a life science course where students learn about the vast variety of life found upon earth. Taught from a Christian perspective, the course encourages students to embrace science as the systematic study of God’s creation through observation and experimentation. Six units cover the basics of life science (including cells and taxonomy), viruses, bacteria, plants, animals, the human body, genetics and heredity, and ecology.

Grade 8 students study Earth and Space science. This course covers minerals, types of rocks, the structure of the earth, weathering and erosion, soil, crust movement, earthquakes, volcanoes, water systems and weather, the environment, astronomy, space exploration, and more. Like all of our science courses, this course integrates the Christian worldview with current science standards.

Computer Science

Grade 7 students are required to practice typing skills until they can achieve a minimum goal of reaching 30 words per minute with an accuracy of at least 85%. Students are introduced to the basics of computer hardware, software,data processing and computer applications.

In grade 8 students begin a rigorous on-line class that typically will extend for two years. Students learn to work in the Windows environment, effectively utilizing the different features offered by Microsoft Office to satisfy the basic needs for school and work-place computing.

Physical Fitness Education (GYM)

The focus in this class is to get students to move their body and improve fitness levels. Students enjoy games and activities that develop and refine specialized movement skills, with a focus on tactical thinking in a range of contexts. There is also an important focus on relationship skills that promote positive interactions, build character and help manage conflict.

High School Grades 9-12

High school students at GGIS take 4 years of core classes in English, Science, Math, and Social Studies. Bible is also taught daily, with a weekly chapel and various after-school opportunities for spiritual development. In grades 9 -11, students study the foreign language of their choice either in a traditional classroom or online using highly-effective Rosetta Stone software. Computer classes develop students proficiency with project -based applications of Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint . Electives such as Art, Drama, Photography, Yearbook and College Prep are available as allowed. School retreats and class trips are also a big part of the students’ high school years.

English/Language Arts

Students in grades 9-12 use the innovative and standards-based curriculum Mirrors and Windows: Connecting with Literature: Common Core States Edition. This program is built on a collection of rich, diverse, and timeless writings by renowned, award-winning authors. Using a gradual release of responsibility approach to reading, students achieve deeper comprehension of the material and a greater appreciation of literary genres. The lessons emphasize writing skills, revising and editing skills, and reading skills.

Math

GGIS uses the rigorous and highly-rated Saxon math program, with a college-prep high school tract of Algebra 1(grade 8) , Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus and regular or AP Calculus. Saxon math features a spiral curriculum, with an incremental, building block approach to mastering math skills. The result is that all students have time to learn, process and master each topic, achieving conceptual understanding and building a strong foundation of the big mathematical ideas. An Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics course, usually offered in grade 12, has become very popular with our students. This is an introductory college-level statistics course that introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students cultivate their understanding of statistics using technology, investigations, problem solving, and writing as they explore concepts like variation and distribution; patterns and uncertainty; and data-based predictions, decisions, and conclusions.

Science

The goal of our science program is not merely content acquisition and scientific literacy, but to provide students an enduring understanding of the order of God’s universe. The grade 9 Biology course provides students with a strong foundation in the vocabulary, methods and concepts of general biology. Topics covered include: the five-kingdom classification scheme, microscopy, biochemistry, cellular biology, molecular and Mendelian genetics, evolution, dissection, and ecosystems. The 10th grade students study Chemistry, the study of matter and its interactions. This course introduces the student to fundamental concepts of chemistry by providing real-world connections to chemical concepts and processes. This course is a prerequisite for the grade 11 Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry course. This AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course usually taken during the first year of college. This course is structured around the six big ideas articulated in the AP Chemistry curriculum framework provided by the College Board . Students who successfully pass the College Board AP Chemistry test are well prepared for advanced chemistry studies in university. In the 12th grade, we offer optional Science courses from an on-line provider, Seven Star.

Social Studies

With a truly international student body, and have developed a social studies curriculum to address the needs of our unique student population. The two year study of World History ends in grade 9, with a Modern World History course that spans from the 1500’s until present day. Grade 10 students take a Worldviews philosophy course, exploring world views from a Christian perspective using the book Understanding the Times as a primary text. Grades 11 and 12 alternate with an American History course and an Economics course.

Greater Grace International School