MiddleSchool
MBS Mission and Values
OUR MISSION
Withinacultureofsupportandcollaboration,MorristownBeardSchoolstudentsdiscoveranddeveloptheirindividual pathwaystoacademicsuccessandpersonalfulfillmentwhilebecomingenlightened,morallyresponsiblecitizensofthe world
OUR VALUES
Thebedrockofourcurriculumistoproviderigorousacademicpreparationforcollegeandbeyond Equally,weencourage allmembersoftheMBScommunitytocultivatealifeguidedbymoralprinciples AtMBS,wevalue:
Personal Responsibility isthefoundationofcharacter Itrequiresintegrity,personalaccountability,andthe highestmoralstandardsinallcommunication,decision-making,andactions
Awareness Of Diverse Perspectives enhancesallaspectsoflearning.Themorestudentsencounter, understand,andrespectotherpointsofview,themoredeeplyengagedtheybecome,bothacademicallyandsocially. Empathyisapowerfulforceincreatingpositiveinteractions
Engagement inallaspectsofschoollifeencouragesrisk-taking,createsamorefulfillingeducationalexperience,and enhancespersonalgrowth
Tenacity isessentialinovercomingobstaclesasitredefinesfailuresasnecessarystepsofthelearningprocess
Independence Of Mind allowsustoquestiontrendyorconformistthinking,andhelpsusasindividualsto examinecriticallyourdecisionsandassumptions
Humor and Humility arecentralcomponentsoftheresiliencerequiredtomeettheinevitablechallengeswe encounternotonlyinschool,butalsoinlife. AtMBS,wevaluetheabilitynottotakeourselvestooseriously,even whenweareengagedinthemostseriousofendeavors.
Curricular Philosophy of MBS
Ensuringthegrowthandwell-beingofourstudentsliesatthecenterofallourdecisionsatMBS.Wemaintainabalanced approachtorigorousacademics,enrichingco-curricularandextra-curricularactivities,andanengagingfamilyand communitylife. Asstudentspursuetheirindividualpathstoacademicsuccessinourcommunityoflearners,theyare guidedbyhighly-dedicatedteacherswhoarefullyversedinthelatesteducationalresearch,withparticularemphasisonthe followingkeypracticesinallsubjectareas:
CRITICAL THINKING facilitatesgreaterunderstandingofcomplextopicsandsituations.Studentslearntoask questions,identifyproblems,synthesizekeyconcepts,anddesigncreativesolutionsinpursuitofknowledge
RISK-TAKING isencouraged Oureducationalprogramrecognizesthisasavalidlearningmodality,evenwhenan investigationdoesnotproceedasexpected Playandasenseoffunarekeycomponentsinnurturingappropriateintellectual risk-taking
WRITING isameansofthinkinganddevelopingthoughts,notjustawaytorecordpre-existingideas Analyticand reflectivewritingshouldnotbetheexclusivedomainofthetraditionaltext-baseddisciplines,butshouldbeactively encouragedacrossthecurriculum
QUANTITATIVE REASONING isvaluedasameansoflogicalprocessingbothinandbeyondthemathclassroom Developingasoundquantitativemindsetiscrucialtounderstanding,critiquing,anddrawingconclusionsinour increasinglydata-intensiveculture.
INNOVATIVE CONNECTIONS acrossdisciplinesinspireoriginalapproachestosolvingproblemsandpreparestudents forlifebeyondtheclassroom.
Core Practices in the Middle School
Withintheframeworkoftheschool'scurricularphilosophy,theMiddleSchooliscommittedtoimplementingthe followingpracticesacrossouracademic,co-curricular,andextra-curricularofferings.
GROWTH MINDSET
Allstudentsarecapableofintellectualandpersonalgrowthinanysubject,providedtheyarenurturedastheydevelop strategiesformanagingtheirtime,focusingtheirattention,andperseveringthroughchallenges TeachersintheMBS MiddleSchoolarecommittedtoworkingwithstudentstodeviseandimplementstrategiesthatservetheirgoalsand ambitions.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Sixth,seventh,andeighthgradearefoundationalyearsindevelopingthinkingskills TheMiddleSchooliscommittedto buildingstudents'habitsofmindandprovidingopportunitiesforstudentstopracticeanalytical,writing,andquantitative skills ThesevaluesareembeddedacrossouracademicclassesineverythingfromtheanchortextsselectedforEnglishtothe coretopicsinmathtothescaffoldingofinstructionandassignments.
COLLABORATION
Asstudentstransitionfromchildhoodtoadolescence,theyareincreasinglycapableofcomplexsocialinteractionsand team-basedactivities Collaborativeskillssuchascommunication,conflictresolution,andsharedproblem-solvingnotonly enhanceacademiclearningbutalsopreparestudentsforreal-worldchallenges Workingtogetheronprojectsandin classroomsettingshelpsstudentsappreciatediverseperspectivesandbuildsempathy
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING
Theyearsfromsixththrougheighthgradeareessentialasstudentssearchforidentities,definingthemselvesintermsofnew relationshipsandroleswithpeersandadults Bothwithinandbeyondtheclassroom,learninginmiddleschoolis fundamentallysocialandemotional:deepeningtheirawarenessofselfandothers,studentsformasenseofhowtheymight contributetoandflourishintheworld Socialandemotionallearningisatthecoreofclassactivities,theadvisoryprogram, andtheeverydaylifeoftheMBSMiddleSchool Ourstudentscultivatestrategiesforspeakinguponbehalfofthemselves andothers,andtheylearnhowtoproductivelyaddressfriendsandpeersoverdifferencesofopinionanddisagreements. Theseopportunitieslaythegroundworkforourschool-wideeffortstopromotediversity,inclusionandsocialjustice.
PURPOSEFUL TECHNOLOGY
MBSrecognizesthatweliveinadigitalage Thoughtechnologypermeatestheexperienceofstudents,overuseormisuse canbetempting IntheMiddleSchool,studentsnotonlylearnthroughtechnology,butlearnhowtousetechnologyto servethemastheysolveproblems,research,communicate,collaborate,andcreate Usingtechnologyundertheguidanceof ourfaculty,MBSstudentsdiscoverboththeutilityandlimitationsoftheselearningtoolsastheylearntoappreciatethe horizonsthattheyopen.
The Morristown Beard Advisor System
Ouradvisoryprogramisastudent-centeredspacefacilitatedbyanadvisorwithafocusonguideddiscussionsand meaningfulconversationsaboutcommunity,advocacy,andleadership.Ourstudentsworkindividuallyandcollaboratively ontheirsocialemotionalandacademicgrowthusingguidedactivitiesthataredevelopmentallyappropriate.Ouradvisors supportourstudentsinbecomingbetterself-advocatesandresponsiblecommunitymembersthroughbuildingpositive relationships.MiddleSchoolAdvisoryisaplacewherestudents,parents,andteachersworktogetherforthebenefitofthe wholechild.
OUR WORDS AND GUIDING QUESTIONS
6thGrade:Community
● Whatconnectionscanwemaketooneanother?
● Howcanwehelponeanother?
● WhataresomewaysIcancontributetoourMBScommunity?Beyond?
● Whatcanwelearnfromthosearoundus?/Howcanwehelpeachotherbeseen?Heard?
7thGrade:Advocacy
● Whatdoesitmeantoadvocateforyourself?
● Whatdoesitmeantoadvocateforothers?
● Whyisadvocacyimportantasamemberofacommunity?
● Howcanyouidentifywhenit’sbesttoadvocateforothersandwhentohelpothersadvocatefor themselves?
8thGrade:Leadership
● Whatisyourroleasan8thgraderintheMBScommunity?
● Howcanyoufindwaystoimproveandgrowasaperson?
● Howcanyoubuildtrust?
● Howdoyouknowwhentoleadandwhentofollow?
Community Service
SCHOOL-WIDE EFFORTS:
Aspartofoureffortstoeducateforgoodcitizenship,ourstudentsparticipateincommunityservicethroughouttheir MiddleSchoolexperience OuradvisoryprogramandMiddleSchoolMeetingsraiseawarenessandprovideaforumfor discussionandlearningabouttheroleofserviceinourcommunity Ourprogramaimstohelpourstudentsbecome participatorycitizensandeffectivemembersofourSchoolcommunitythroughservice
LEADERSHIP AS SERVICE:
WebelievethatservinginavoluntaryleadershipcapacityisservicetotheSchoolandenhancesadolescentdevelopment
● SGA(MiddleSchoolStudentGovernmentAssociation)collaborateswithourStudentActivitiesand Programming CommitteetoruntheMiddleSchoolMeeting,planstudentevents,andrepresentthestudent body.AllMiddleSchoolstudentshavetheopportunitytobeelectedintoourSGAclassleaderroles.
● CrimsonAmbassadorshostandtourprospectivestudentsandsupportandmentornewstudentsasthey transitiontoMiddleSchool.Middleschoolstudentswhoareinterestedgothroughanapplicationprocesstobe CrimsonAmbassadors.
● TheCrimsonLeadershipGroupsincludestudentsenthusiasticaboutengaginginDiversity,Equity,Inclusion, andBelonging(DEIB)initiatives.UndertheKaleidoscopeumbrella,studentscanparticipateinGLOW, Spectrum,andaffinitygroups Theircollectivemissionistoensurethateverymiddleschoolstudentfeelsvalued andembracedasanessentialmemberofourcommunity Withastrongfocusoncommunity-building,the CrimsonLeadershipCommitteeactivelyreflectsontheessentialelementscontributingtoathrivingandinclusive environment Afteridentifyingareastheycanenhance,theyapplyawell-structured,step-by-stepapproachto implementingtheirinnovativeideas Acoreobjectiveistoallowstudentstopracticeusingtheirvoiceseffectively Thecommitteeaimstofosteracultureofpositivechangeandactiveparticipationwithintheschoolby empoweringthemtoexpresstheirthoughts,concerns,andideas TheCrimsonLeadershipCommitteevalues inclusivityandwelcomesallmiddleschoolstudentstojointhisimportantinitiative Studentswillbeselectedfor thiscommitteeusingaself-nominationprocess
● 8th-gradestudentsplan,prepare,andleadtheweeklyMiddleSchooldivisionmeetings
SERVICE INITIATIVES:
By Grade
● 6thGrace/Advisoryvisits(Summit)
● 7thMorristownNeighborhoodHouse/Advisoryvisits(Morristown)
● 8thLifeTown-FriendshipCircle/Advisoryvisits(Livingston)
Other Middle School initiatives
● VeteransDayCards/Letters
● PumpkinDecoratingContest(fundraiser)
● Pajama,cocoa,andbookdriveforNeighborhoodHouse
● MiddleSchool-widefooddrives
● Apercentageofthesnackshackproceedsgoestoanorganizationthatisidentifiedbystudents
Schoolwide
● ThanksgivingFoodDrive(FoodPantry,Morristown)
● WinterHolidayToyDrive(MorrisCountyParkCommission,Morristown)
Club Program
ClubsintheMiddleSchoolarestudent-drivenandbasedonwhatthestudentsthemselveswishtoexplore.Clubofferings changethreetimesperyear,coincidingwiththeathleticcycle.Clubsmeeteverycycle.Recentofferingshaveincludedcar club,chessclub,FantasyFootballclub,knittingclub,no-bakecookingclub,STEMclub,andmore.
Signature Programs and Practices
TheMBSMiddleSchool’sSignatureProgramscomplementthecorecurriculum,givingstudentsfocusedexposuretoareas essentialforacademicsuccess,forself-understanding,andfornavigatingtheworld OurSignatureProgramsare characterizedbypurposefuldevelopmentalplay,creativethinking,skilldevelopment,andstudent-directedinquiry They serveasastartingpointforfulfillingthepromisesofourmissionstatementastheylaythegroundworkforstudentstocarve theirindividualpathwaystosuccess.Eachprogramreceivesdedicatedtimeintheschedule.
CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND DESIGN
EachyearintheMBSMiddleSchool,studentsareprovidedwithopportunitiestolearnintheCenterforInnovation& Design,includingthemakerspace,artisanstudio,computationaldesignstudioandenvironmentalsystemslab There, studentsareencouragedtolearnthroughimaginative,hands-on,collaborativeprojectsandtoencounterthefundamentals ofthedesignthinkingprocessthatwillservethemthroughouttheirtimeatMBSandbeyond
Artisan Studio
Computational Design Studio
Environmental Systems Lab
Makerspace
Video Content Creation Lab
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WALLS
DuringeachyearoftheMiddleSchoolprogram,ourstudentsandteachersdelveintotheworldbeyondMBSthrough off-campusclasses,visits,trips,communityserviceprojects,andotheroutreachprograms Ourhistoriclocation,adjacentto thepicturesqueFrelinghuysenArboretumandWhippanyRiver,affordstheopportunityforstudentstogetoutsidewhile thelearningcontinues Meanwhile,communityserviceinitiativesindowntownMorristownallowourstudentstoconnect withtheinstitutionsandsocioculturaldiversityofthearea Inaddition,weendeavortoplangrade-levelfieldtripsthatare anchoredinourcurriculum
Mini-Boat Project: OneofthemostuniqueanddefiningexperiencesoutsideoftheMiddleSchoolclassroomdoesn’t involveactuallygoinganywhere.Instead,oursixth-graderslearnaboutweather,geography,andoceanographybyfollowing thetravelsofonetinyandverywell-stockedvessel!Throughouttheschoolyear,afive-footmini-boatequippedwithsensors andtrackingdevices,travelstheocean,landingoccasionally,sothatstudentscangatherdatathatwillhelpthemdevelopa senseofthemagnitudeandcomplexityofourbig,blueplanet.
LEARNING FOR ENHANCED CURRICULAR ENGAGEMENT
TheMiddleSchoolprovidesdedicatedtimeforstudentstohoneskillsthatwillbenecessaryfortheireducational developmentandsuccess
ENGLISH WORKSHOP: Creative Writing Workshop 7 and Public Speaking Workshop 8 EvenasstudentsinMiddleSchoolarefiguringoutwhotheyareintheworld,theyareaskedtocommunicatetheir ideas,expressthemselves,anddiscoverwhotheyareonthepage MiddleSchoolwritingdemandsstudentsgain rapidfamiliaritywitharangeofmodes,audiences,andoccasions InEnglishWorkshop,asupplementalclass offeredforasinglesemesterinseventhandeighthgrades,studentsaregivenspacetonurturetheirreading interests,andencouragedtoexplorearangeofwritingstylesandoccasionswithspaceforself-reflection
FOUNDATIONS OF SUCCESS: Study Skills & Organization
Asstudentstransitionfromelementaryschooltohighschool,itiscrucialthattheydevelopskillsthatwillsupport theirlearning InOrganizationalSkills,aquarterlycourseofferedin6thgradeandfornewly-enrolled7thgraders, studentswilllearnvarioushelpful,funwaystoimprovetheirstudyandorganizationalhabits Theseskillswillbe anchoredineachstudent'slearningstyleandstudypreferencesandwillincludeorganization,timemanagement, note-taking,homeworkcompletion,long-termassignmentcompletion,preparationforformalassessments,and test-takingstrategies
Grade Level Trips
Fieldtripsareanopportunityforstudentstobondtogetherasaclassandfurthertheirunderstandingofacourseofstudy
TheMiddleSchooliscommittedtofallandspringtripseachyear Pasttripshaveincluded:
6thgrade:SandyHookandEllisIslandoraBroadwayproduction
7thgrade: Philadelphia(ConstitutionCenterandFranklinInstitute)andWashingtonCrossing
8thgrade:Washington,DC andTenaflyNatureCenter
Academic Policies
TheMiddleSchoolprogramrespondstotheuniquedevelopmentalneedsofyoungadolescents Studentsparticipateina varietyofareasofstudyandactivitiesthatemphasizeactiveengagementinlearning Oneofthemajorgoalsoftheprogram istocreateaclimatewherecuriosity,integrityandcreativeexpressionarevalued
MiddleSchoolstudentsarerequiredtocompletefivecorecourses,aswellaselectivesandquarterlyclassesinthearts, Wellness,OrganizationalSkills,orEnglishWorkshop In7thand8thgrade,studentswhoareenrolledinStudyStrategies donotparticipateinthequarterlyrotation.
GRADES & COMMENTS
TheSchooluseslettergradesrangingfromAthroughFforcorecurriculumclasses GradesrangingbetweenAandC-are consideredacceptable,whilegradesbelowaC-areofconcernandmayleadtoastudentbeingplacedonAcademic Probation.
TheSchoolsendsgradesfourtimesperyearandcommentsthreetimesayear–typicallyabout10daysaftertheendofeach quarter.
1stQuarter(Interim)gradesandcomments
1stSemester(Final)gradesandcomments
3rdQuarter(Interim)gradesandcomments
2ndSemester(Final)grades,commentswhenneeded
Inadditiontoregularlyscheduledgradesandcomments,teachersmaysendParentCommunicationFormsforeither excellentorsubstandardperformance StudentswhoneedmorefrequentmonitoringaresometimesplacedonProgress Reports
HOMEWORK GUIDELINES
Studentsaretypicallyassignedanaverageof15hoursofstudyingand/orhomeworkpernight Itiseachstudent’s responsibilitytomakesuretheyhaveallthematerialsanddirectivesnecessarytocompletetheirassignments Late, incomplete,orcarelesslydonehomeworkwillnegativelyaffectastudent’saverage Parentswillbenotifiedofrecurrent patternsofinconsistenthomeworksubmission
HONOR ROLL & HIGH HONOR ROLL
TheSchoolhastwohonorrollsforacademicachievement.
● HonorRoll–forstudentswithaminimumGPAof35
● HighHonorRoll–forstudentswithaminimumGPAof38 Bothhonorrollsarebasedonsemestergrades,notendofyeargrades
TheNationalJuniorHonorSocietyrecognizesstudentsineighthgradewhohavedemonstratedoutstandingscholarship, leadership,service,character,andcitizenship StudentsmustearnHighHonorRollfortwoconsecutivesemesters beginningwiththesecondsemesterof7thgradetobeeligible StudentsreceivingthishonorareinductedattheMovingUp ceremony
OUR SCHEDULE
TheMiddleSchoolscheduleisdesignedtomeettheneedsofgrowingadolescentchildren Ourstudentsbegintheirdayin homeroomwiththeiradvisors Collaborativeperiodisadesignatedtimetoworkwithteachers,collaboratewithclassmates andbeginhomework Weclosetheschooldaywithsportsandactivities Wearecommittedtoofferingourstudentsample opportunitiesontheplayingfieldandbelievethatgoodsportsmanshipisanintegralpartofcultivatingcharacter
Sample Course Lists and Schedule:
6th Grade Sample Course List
Period Class
Period1 English6
Period2 Performanceart,digitalart,visualartorotherelective
Period3 MathFoundationsorIntroductiontoIntegratedMathA
Period4 Quarterlyrotation:Wellness,OrganizationalSkills6,PerformingArtsFoundations6,Artand2DDesign
Period5 WorldHistoryandGeography6
Period6 Science6
Period7 LanguageExploration
Period8 RotationofAdvisory,MSMeeting,CollaborativePeriod,Clubs
7th Grade Sample Course List
Period Class
Period1 English7
Period2 Performanceart,digitalart,visualartorother elective
Period3 IntroductiontoIntegratedMathAorIntroductiontoIntegratedMathB
Period4 Science7
Period5 Quarterlyrotation:Wellness,CreativeWritingWorkshop7,Artand3DDesignorOrganizationalSkills7(newstudentsonly)
Period6 US HistoryandCivics7
Period7 WorldLanguage(French,LatinorSpanish)
Period8 RotationofAdvisory,MSMeeting,CollaborativePeriod,Clubs
8th Grade Sample Course List
Period Class
Period1 English8
Period2 Performanceart,digitalart,visualartorotherelective
Period3 Intro toIntegratedMathBorIntegratedMath1
Period4 Science8
Period5 US HistoryandCivics8
Period6 Quarterlyrotation:Wellness,PublicSpeakingWorkshop8,Makerspace:CreativeProblemSolving orMSMusicProduction
Period7 WorldLanguage(French,LatinorSpanish)
Period8 RotationofAdvisory,MSMeeting,CollaborativePeriod,Clubs
Middle School Schedule
Departmental Offerings
English
MissionStatement:Asstudentstraveltheirownuniquepathsthroughourcurriculum,theydeveloptheskillstonavigate challengingtexts,thinkcritically,andexpressthemselvesconfidentlyinbothwrittenandspokenword Studentsalsolearnto appreciateandtelltheirownstoriesbyexploringthoseofothers,andindoingso,theydevelopawarenessofthemselves,their communities,andthehumancondition
ENGLISH 6 Inadditiontodevelopingskillsinreading,writing,vocabulary,andgrammar,studentsinEnglish6learnhow toannotateeffectively,identifyingthemesandsymbolsastheydiscussplotandcharacterdevelopment.Studentslearnto useawritingprocess(planning,drafting,revising,publishing)withrespecttotheconstructionofindividualsentencesthat arethenlinkedtocreatecohesive,well-organizedparagraphs.Bymid-year,studentsbegintowriteanalyticalresponsesand userubricsforrevisionthatfacilitateagrowingsenseofautonomyandconfidence.TeacherscarefullyintroduceiPaduseso thatstudentslearntechniquesofworkingwithpaperaswellaselectronictextsinboththeirreadingandwriting.Students engageinindividualizedvocabularystudythroughMembean.Textsincludeshortstories,poemsandlongertexts,suchas OurTown,TheOutsiders,andRefugee.
ENGLISH 7 EnglishinGrade7continuestodeepenandbroadenhabitsofcriticalthinkingintroducedinGrade6.Close readingofliteratureenhancesstudents'understandingoftheworldinwhichtheyliveandtounderstandthecomplexityof lifethrougheffectivestudyofcharacterization.Asstudentsbegintocomprehendthewaysinwhichauthorscreate,they respondtosuchclosereadingthroughregularannotation,writing,andclassdiscussion Studyofgrammarcontinuesto occurwithinthecontextofreadingandwritingalongwiththeuseofspecificexercises Studentsengageinindividualized vocabularystudythroughMembean Ongoinguseofwritingandrevisionrubricsreinforcestheunderstandingofwriting asaprocess,particularlywithrespecttothecreationofanalyticalessays Independentthinkingisencouragedthroughthe useofexpositoryandcreativejournaling Textsincludeshortstories,poetry,andlongertexts,suchasTheAlchemist,New Kid,andTheGiver
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP InadditiontotheirGrade7Englishclass,studentsrotatethroughCreative WritingWorkshop,asemester-longcoursedesignedtodeepenwritingandreadingskillsthroughtheclosestudyofcraft Drawingonproseandpoetryaslivingmodels,studentswillexplorethedefiningfeaturesofexpository,descriptive, narrative,andpersuasivewriting examiningnotjustwhatwriterssay,buthowtheysayit Guidedbythesementortexts, studentswilltrytheirhandatcreativewritingineachgenre,ultimatelybuildingaportfoliooforiginalworkthatshowcases theirgrowthandvoiceaswriters.
ENGLISH 8 StudentsinGrade8deepentheirskillsinliteraryanalysiswithcontinuingemphasisonthedecisionsauthors makewhencreatingtheme,character,andplot.Theemphasisonauthorialintentisfurtherpromotedthroughthecreation andrevisionofanalyticalessaysthatrequirestrongthesisstatements,appropriateuseofevidence,andthediscoveryof subtextuallevelsofliterarymeaning.Shorterwritingassignmentspromoterobustpatternsofthinkingthatarebothcritical andcreative.StudentsengageinindividualizedvocabularystudythroughMembean.Studyofgrammarcontinueswithin thecontextofreadingandwritingalongwiththeuseofspecificexercises Studentsareencouragedtoworkautonomously andwithconfidenceasameansofprefiguringexpectationsintheUpperSchool Textsincludeshortstories,poetry,and longertexts,suchasAnimalFarm,NightandRomeoandJuliet
PUBLIC
SPEAKING WORKSHOP InadditiontotheirGrade8Englishclass,studentsrotatethrough PublicSpeaking,asemester-longcoursedesignedtobuildconfident,articulatecommunicators Fromthefirst weeksofthecourse,studentspracticespeakingextemporaneouslythroughlow-stakesactivitiesthatbuildfluency andconfidence:respondingtoprompts,summarizingtextsaloud,andparticipatinginstructureddiscussion Theseinformalexperienceslaythegroundworkforthemoreformalworkahead Inthesecondhalfofthecourse, studentsturntopersuasiveandnarrativewritingandspeakingascomplementarymodesofexpression By studyingarangeoffamousspeechesasmentortexts,studentsanalyzetheelementsofeffectivepublicspeaking examiningnotjustwhatspeakerssay,buthowtheysayit Studentsthenapplytheselessonsbycreatingand deliveringaseriesoftheirownspeechesofvaryinglengths,styles,andpurposes,adaptingtheirmessageand approachfordifferentaudiencesandoccasions
History and Social Sciences
MissionStatement:Bylinkingthepastandpresent,theMorristownBeardHistoryDepartmentfostersskillsessentialtothe understandingofthehumanexperience,whileguidingstudentsontheirindividualpathstobecomingengagedandempathetic globalcitizens.
WORLD HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
6 centersthisessentialquestion:"Howdoeswherepeopleliveshapehow peoplelive?"Tofindanswers,studentsengageininterdisciplinaryinvestigationsofAncientCivilizationsinrelationtotheir climate,waterways,andecosystems Tobringthislearningtolife,studentswillundertakeayear-longclassprojecttobuild andlaunchamini-boat,trackitsprogressthroughoceancurrents,andengagewithgloballearningcommunitiesinthe locationofitslandfall Indoingso,studentswillunderstandhowcontemporaryandancientcivilizationswereshapedby andconnectedthroughthenaturalworld Thiscourseintroducesourschool'syoungeststudentstoreading,writing,and research,whicharetherecursiveskillsoftheHistory&SocialSciencesdepartment
U.S. HISTORY AND CIVICS
7 focusesonthefoundationsandearlyyearsoftheAmericanRepublic,startingwiththe pre-RevolutionaryeraandmovingthroughReconstructionpost-CivilWar.Studentswilldecodeartifactsandinvestigate primarysourcedocumentstohonetheirreading,writing,andresearchskills,andstudentswillfrequentlymake interdisciplinaryconnectionsthroughprojects,simulations,andexperientiallearning.Indoingso,thiscourseintroduces keyskillsandnarrativethreadsthatstudentswillpickupinU.S.HistoryandCivics8.
U.S. HISTORY AND CIVICS 8 focusesonAmericanstoriesathomeandabroadfromthe1870stothe1970s,picking upwhereUSHistoryandCivics7leftoff.ByexploringthetriumphsandtragediesinAmericanhistoryduringthisperiod throughreading,writing,andresearch,thiscoursewillcontinuekeynarrativethreads,includingthetensionbetween Americanidealsandthestruggletolivethemout,fightsforfreedomathomeandacrosstheglobe,andaninclusiveviewof thecontributionsofAmericansofallbackgrounds Whileilluminatingthehumanity,motivations,andlesser-knownstories fromthisnation’spast,thiscoursewillweavetogetherhistoryandcivicstoencouragestudentstobecomeengaged, “enlightened,morallyresponsiblecitizensoftheworld
Mathematics
MissionStatement:TheMorristownBeardSchoolMathematicsDepartmentproducesstudentsfluentinquantitativeand abstractreasoning.Weemphasizetheimportanceofconstructingandevaluatingsoundargumentswhilefocusingon connectionswithinandbeyondmathematics.Withinthisframeworkweaimtocultivateresilience,criticalthinking,creativity, andintellectualcuriosity
MiddleSchoolMathematicscoursesstressanunderstandingofmathematicsasfundamentaltomakingreasonable interpretationsofhumanandscientificaffairs Themathprogramreinforcestheskillsandconceptsnecessaryforfuture studyandintegrationwithothercontentareas Beginningwithareal-worldapproach,studentsaretaughttousemathskills fordataanalysis,tounderstandbasicalgebraicandgeometricconcepts,tousestatisticalanalysisacrosstopics,andtothink critically Aplacementtestisusedtodeterminewhichlevelofmathematicsisappropriateforourincomingstudents A strongfoundationinbasicskillsiscriticaltosuccess,andstudentsshouldbefluentwithbasicaddition,subtraction, multiplicationanddivisionofwholenumbers,fractionsanddecimals
MATH FOUNDATIONS isastudyofbasicmathematicalskillsthatchallengesstudentswithintroductoryalgebraic concepts.Thecourseintroducesstudentstonumberpropertiesandintegeroperations,integratingnegativenumberswith thestudyofotherrationalnumbers.Throughamixofproblemsolving,logicchallenges,andwordproblems,Math Foundationsemphasizescriticalthinkinginpreparationformoreadvancedcourses.Thecoursechallengesstudentstoshow andexplainwork,demonstratingthattheprocessisasequallyimportantastheendproduct.
INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED MATH PART A ispartoneofatwo-yearintroductorycoursethatconcludes withPartB InPartA,studentsworkwithrationalnumberstoensurethattheycanapplyalloperationsfluentlyandbegin tocreateabridgebetweenconcreteoperationsandmoreabstractalgebraicexpressionsandequations Studentsworkwith thecoordinateplanetomaketheconnectionbetweenconcreteoperationsandgraphing Studentscontinuetouserational numberoperationsinapplicationwithratio,rate,unitrate,percentandprobability Astudyofdataallowsstudentsto makesenseofinformationfromtherealworldandexpressthatinformationtoothersgraphically,numericallyandin writtenform Studentsuseavarietyofmeansofexpressiontojustify,explainandmodelmathematicsastheymakesenseof problemsandpersevereinsolvingthem
INTRODUCTION TO INTEGRATED MATH PART B isparttwoofatwo-yearintroductorypre-algebracoursethat beginswithPartA InPartB,studentscontinuetheirworkwithrationalnumbersbysynthesizingthemwithanin-depth studyofexpressions,equations,exponentsandradicals Studentsapplythoseskillsandconceptsinastudyofgeometry includinganglerelationships,thePythagoreantheorem,andtwo-andthree-dimensionalmeasurement Finally,toprepare forsubsequentcoursework,studentslearntosolve,writeandgraphmulti-stepequationsandinequalities.Studentsusea varietyofmeansofexpressiontojustify,explainandmodelmathematicsastheymakesenseofproblemsandperseverein solvingthem.
INTEGRATED MATH 1 initiatestheUpperSchoolIntegratedMathsequencebyengagingstudentsinfoundational concepts,skillsandhabitsofthought.Pedagogicaltechniquesareeclecticanddiversetoallowfordifferentwaysoflearning math.Thecoursecoversfoundationalalgebraicandgeometricconceptsthatwillbebuiltuponinsubsequentcourses. Algebraictopicscoveredincludebasicequationsandinequalities,absolutevalue,linearequationsandgraphs,andsystems
ofequationsequivalenttoatypicalalgebra1course.Geometrictopicsincludeintroductiontoproofs,coordinate geometry,midpointanddistanceformulas,andspecialanglesonparallellines.
Science
MissionStatement:AtMBS,studentsareinspiredbythewondersoftheworld.Ourprogrampreparesstudentsforcivic responsibilityandglobalstewardshipthroughexperientiallearningandbydevelopingtheirunderstandingofthepowerand limitationsofscientificinvestigations.Studentsdeepentheircriticalthinkingandacquirequantitativeandqualitativetools necessarytomakeresponsibleandinformeddecisionsasscientistsandcitizens.
FromGrades6through12,theMBSScienceCurriculumasksstudentstoapproachscienceasaprocessofactive,hands-on inquiry,requiringcloseobservation,theelaborationoftheories,thedesignandconstructionofexperiments,analysisof data,andanongoing,revisionarypursuitofthetruth TheMiddleSchoolScienceprogramintroducesstudentstoscience asanopen-ended,self-criticalprocess,layingthefoundationsforsuccessinUpperSchoolscienceclassesandproviding themwithanappreciationforthecomplexityandmysteryoftheworldaroundthem
SCIENCE 6 introducesstudentstothefundamentalsofthelaboratory,experimentation,andthestagesofscientific inquirythroughaseriesofhands-ontasksandprojects Astheyearstudentswillstudythequestions“whatisthe foundationofourworld,howdosystemscycleonland,howdosystemscycleinbodiesofwater,andhowdohumans impactthesecycles?”Studentspayspecialattentiontotheecologyofwaterandtheenvironmentalimpactofwateruse, forgingcloseconnectionswiththeirworkinGeography6
SCIENCE 7 isdesignedtodeepenstudents’graspofthefundamentalconceptsofscientificinquiryandenhancetheir abilitytothinkcritically.Throughouttheyear,studentsfocusonhowtocollectandinterpretdatathroughavarietyof hands-onexperiencesstudyingthequestions“whatislife,whatarethebuildingblocksoflife,howdoobjectsinteract,and whataretheimpactsofhumansonlife?”Studentsalsolearntoapplytheseprocessesinreal-worldcontexts,fosteringa practicalunderstandingofhowscienceimpactseverydaylife.
SCIENCE 8 introducesstudentstobiology,challengingthemtothinkthroughproblemsofformandfunctionofcells andorganismsfromanewperspective Studentsbuildontheirknowledgeoftheearth’sspheresandphysicalscienceto understandthebiologicalandecologicalsystemsoftheworld Asinpreviousyears,studentsengageinvarioushands-on projectsandexperimentswithgreaterindependenceandfurtherdevelopthecoreskillsofscientificinvestigation,suchas formingcoherenthypotheses,conductingsystematicobservations,andeffectivelyinterpretingdata
World Languages
MissionStatement:TheWorldLanguageDepartmentbelievesmeaningfulcommunicationisfundamentaltoalllanguage learning.Wepracticethelanguageincontext,developingculturalawarenessaswellaslinguisticcompetencies.Studentslearn aboutwhatcanbesaidinaworldlanguageaswellashowtosayit.Ourprogramembracesprogresswhileacknowledgingthat learningalanguageinvolvescyclesofaccelerationandadjustment.
TheMiddleSchoolWorldLanguageProgramisdesignedtodevelopstudents’communicativeabilitieswhilecultivating culturalawarenessandanappreciationofdiverseperspectives.Student-centeredclassroompracticespromoteengagement whileintroducingstudentstovariousinterwovenaspectsoflinguisticcompetency(oral,aural,grammatical,lexicaland cultural).StudentsareexposedtobasiclexicalandstructuralfeaturesofFrench,SpanishorLatinwhilelearningabout Francophone,Hispanophone,andancientculturesandpractices,respectively.InthecaseofFrenchandSpanish,making useofthelanguageincommunicativesettingsisemphasized.Thisincludesacquisitionofvocabularyincontext, developmentofgoodpronunciationandactiveuseofthetargetlanguagetosuccessfullycommunicateinavarietyof commonsituations.StudentsofLatinareexposedtothebasicstructureofthelanguageviamanyofthesamepracticesas studentsofFrenchandSpanish,relyinguponlevel-appropriateLatinreadingsastheprimarycenterpiecefor communication
SIXTH GRADE LANGUAGE EXPLORATION cultivatesanawarenessofdiverseperspectivesthroughan interdisciplinaryexaminationoflanguageandculturethroughthelensesofFrench,LatinandSpanishaswellasgeography, art,historyandotherdisciplineswithafocusonglobalcitizenshipandcommunity.StudentsspendtimestudyingFrench, LatinandSpanishinahighlycommunicative,supportive,andcontextualizedframework,focusingonathemeinthe contextofeachlanguage Studentsalsoengageinseveralintegratedlessonsinwhichtheygrapplewiththeintersectionof language,culture,identity,andcommunity StudentsenrolledinStudyStrategiesdonotparticipateintheLanguage Explorationclassbutwillhavetheopportunitytotakealanguagein7thand8thgrades
FRENCH, LATIN OR SPANISH A focusesonthedevelopmentofstrongbasiccommunicationskillsinmanyroutine topicssuchasgreetings,introductions,personalandfamilyidentity,basicneedsandwants,likesanddislikes,introduction tofood,timeandweather,schoollifeandleisureactivities Studentspracticethefourfoundationallanguageskills (listening,speaking,readingandwriting)astheystrivetowardscompetencyintheaboveareas Languageistaughtthrough thelensofculture,andassuch,culturalthemesandbackdropsframethelanguageexperience Uponcompletion,itis expectedthatthestudentcommunicatewithlimitedflexibilityinvocabularyandstructure,usinghigh-frequencywords androtephrases
FRENCH, LATIN OR SPANISH B providesacontinuationoftheendeavorbeguninFrench,LatinorSpanishA, spiralingmanyofthestructuresandtopicstolayastrongbaseforfurtherdevelopmentintheUpperSchoolprogram. Uponcompletion,itisexpectedthatthestudentcommunicatewithemergingflexibilityinvocabularyandstructure,using high-frequencyvocabularywords,rotephrasesandsimplesentences.
Art & Design Electives
MissionStatement:TheArtandDesignDepartmentguidesstudentsthroughaskill-based,multi-disciplinaryjourneythat buildsfromgradetograde Withafocusoncreativethinking,technicalgrowth,andpersonalexpression,studentsdevelopthe toolstoconnectideasacrossmediaandconfidentlybringtheirartisticvisiontolife.
ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN introducesstudentstothefundamentalsofarchitecturaldrawing,designandmodel making.Studentswillusethelasercuttertocreateapersonalsketchbookforcreatingalibraryofobservations,andlearnthe fundamentalsofmechanicaldrawingincludingisometric,axonometricandperspectivedrawing.Studentswillalsostudy severalnotablearchitecturalprojectsfromaroundtheworldwithanemphasisonsustainability.Theclasswillculminatein ahands-ondesignprojectincorporatingelementsofmodelmakingandwoodworking.
CERAMICS introducesstudentstothefundamentalsofworkingwithclaythroughavarietyofhand-building techniques,includingpinch,coil,andslabconstruction Studentswilllearnhowtoshape,join,andrefinetheirformsas theycreatebothfunctionalandexpressiveceramicpieces Alongtheway,they’llexploresurfacedesign,texture,andglazing techniqueswhiledevelopinganunderstandingofthefullceramicprocess fromrawclaytokiln-firedwork Thiscourse encouragescreativity,patience,andcraftsmanshipinasupportive,hands-onstudioenvironment
DIGITAL ART introducesstudentstoalargerealmofdigitalartmediumssuchasphotography,animation,comicwriting, andlogodesignusingtheiPadsandavarietyofcreativeapps.Inadditiontolessonsarounddigitalillustration,visual storytelling,anddesignprinciples,studentswillengageinprojectssuchasstickerandlogodesign,digitalcomics, photographychallenges,andanimationsequences.Thiscoursebalancestechnicalskilldevelopmentandimaginative exploration,helpingstudentsgainconfidenceinusingdigitaltoolstocreate,communicate,andsharetheirideas
DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION LAB exploresthefundamentalsofvideocontentcreationtoequipstudentswith theskillsnecessarytodevelopandcreatevideoprojects Studentswillplan,film,andeditoriginalprojects rangingfrom shortfilmstosocialmediasegments whilegainingexperiencewithcameras,lighting,sound,andpost-productiontools Thecourseemphasizescreativestorytelling,medialiteracy,andtheabilitytocriticallyanalyzeandproducecontentin today’sdigitallandscape Assessmentwillconsistofpresentationsandcritiquingmedia-basedwork,aswellastheuseof digitaltechnologies
DRAWING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN isdesignedforstudentstolearnaboutandbegintomasterthe skillofobservationaldrawing Thecourseisdesignedforthestudentwhowantstobeabletodrawobjectsandmakethem look“real”Usingvariousdrymedia(graphite,charcoal,pastels),studentswillmasterlookingatthree-dimensionalsubjects placedinfrontofthemandreplicatingthemonapage.
MIXED MEDIA SCULPTURE explorestheworldofmixedmediaart,focusingonsculpturalprojectsandunique hands-ontechniques.Throughoutthesemester,studentswillengagewithmaterialslikewire,paper,andnaturalfibersto createunique,three-dimensionalworksofart.Studentswilldiveintotheprocessofmakingtheirownpaperfromrecycled materials,experimentwiththeartsofbasketweavingandbookmaking,andchallengetheirimaginationsthrough sculpturaldesignsusingwireandotherfoundobjects.
Performing Arts Electives
MissionStatement:ThePerformingArtsDepartmentfosterscriticalthinking,discipline,andasenseofcommunity,allina creativeandrigorousenvironment.Throughavarietyofperformanceandlearningopportunities,studentsdiscoverand cultivateanenduringconnectiontotheintrinsicvalueoftheperformingartsinthehumanexperience.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND studentsengagewithmusicinawidevarietyofstyles.Thisclassprovidesyoungmusicians withtheopportunitytoincreasetheirindividualmusicalabilitywhilealsoworkingasthememberofaplayingensemble. Throughclassesandperformances,theydevelopknowledgeoftheelementsofmusic,thepropertechniquerequiredfor eachindividualinstrument,andmusicreadingskills.StudentsperforminconcertsonstageinFoundersHall. Oneyearof beinginaninstrumentalprogramorprivateinstructionistheprerequisiteforthiscourse
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHORUS isanengagingvocalprogramopentoallmiddleschoolsingers,designedtobuild musicianship,vocaltechnique,andensembleskills Studentswillexploreadiverserangeofmusicalstyleswhilegaininga deeperunderstandingof20th-centurypopularmusichistory Withafocusontwo-andthree-partharmonies,singerswill
developtheirabilitytoblend,listen,andperformwithconfidence.Thechoruswillshowcaseitsworkinschoolconcerts, providingstudentswiththeopportunitytosharetheirprogressandpassionformusicwiththecommunity.
MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE isforstudentsinterestedindancetechniqueandperformance.Studentswillgainan increasedunderstandingoftheirindividualrangeofmovement,anddevelopbalanceandcoordination Studentsperform inboththeWinterandSpringDanceConcerts
MIDDLE SCHOOL TAP ATTACK combinestraditionaltapdancetechniquefoundin42ndStreetandSingin'inthe RainwiththeenergeticcontemporarystyleofSTOMPandTAPDOGStoprovidestudentswiththeopportunitytoraise theroofandmakesomenoise!Theydevelopfocusandrhythmicintelligence,whilealsoincreasingphysicalstaminaand coordination StudentswillperformintheWinterorSpringMiddleSchoolPerformingArtsShowcase
MIDDLE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA offersstudentsanintroductiontobasicstringtechnique Studentswillgain dexterityanddeveloptoneastheystudyandperformmusicofvaryingperiods Idealforstudentswithpreviousstring experience,aswellasthosewhoplayotherinstrumentsanddesireanintroductiontotheworldofstrings Theensemble performsinvariousconcertsonstageinFoundersHall
MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSICAL givesstudentstheopportunitytolearnabouttherichhistoryoftheAmericanmusical theater,whilepursuingspecializedperformancetraininginacting,singing,anddancing. Throughtheproductionofan hour-longmusical,theywilldevelopmusicality,spatialawareness,andcollaborativeskills,andalsolearntocreate sustainableandmotivatedcharactersforthestage.Themusicalwillbechosenspecificallyforthestudentsintheclassto helpthemcultivatetheseskills,andwillbeperformedattheendofthesemester.
Wellness
MissionStatement:WellnesseducationatMorristownBeardaimstoproduceapositiveattitudetowardlifelongwellness addressingbiological,socialandpsychologicaldimensionsofhealth,throughdevelopingtheskillsneededtopromoteoverall well-beingemphasizingself-careanddecision-making.
WELLNESS 6 addressesthreekeytopics:howwestayhealthy,howwestaysafeintherealandvirtualworlds,andwhat happenstoourbodyduringpuberty.Thehealthylivingdiscussionsincludelearningaboutnutrition,sleep,stress management,andbraindevelopment.Studentsexplorepersonalsafetybyreadinganddiscussingtheconceptsofinternet safety,peerpressure,bullying,teasing,andfriendship Findingtrustedadultsintheirlivesisakeygoalfocusforthiscourse Aunitofstudyisonpuberty,thephysicalandemotionalchangesthatoccuraswellasdealingwithstressduringthistime Themainprojectforthequarterisfocusedonthestudentsteachingoneanotheraboutthekeynutrientstodeepentheir understandingofhowtofueltheirbody
WELLNESS 7 focusesonavarietyoftopicscenteredonpersonalsafety,decisionmaking,andadolescentdevelopment Ourpersonalsafetydiscussionswillincludediscussionson“streetsmarts”andonlinesafety,includingunderstandingcrisis management,ourdigitalfootprintsandpreventinganddealingwithcyber-bullying Studentswillexamineandrefinetheir decision-makingskillswithunitsonethicsandstressmanagement Intheunitonadolescentdevelopment,oursessionswill emphasizehygieneandthephysicalchangesassociatedwithadolescenceincludingpubertyandbraindevelopment The mainprojectsinthiscoursepertaintostressmanagementanddigitalcitizenship Theseworktoapplytheinformationfrom thecoursetothelivesofthestudents
WELLNESS 8 IneighthgradeWellness,studentswilldeepentheirunderstandingofmanyoftheconceptsexploredin sixthandseventhgrade,focusingonpersonalsafety,decision-making,andadolescentdevelopment.Inaddition,wewill delveintonewareas,includingcommunicationskills,managingrelationships,resolvingconflicts,substanceuseandmisuse, sexeducation,anddevelopingagrowthmindsetthatisresilientandseekschallenges.Wewillalsospendtimeconsidering thestudents’impendingmovetotheUpperSchool,discussingthechangestheycananticipate,andwaystoprepare.The mainprojectfocusesoncreatingapublicserviceannouncementoncybersafetytoreinforceinformationlearnedthrough theirthreeyears.
General Electives
INNOVATIVE STORYTELLING isacoursewherestudentsengagewithdifferentvarietiesofstories,rangingfrom handmadeprinttodigitalmedia Studentshavethefreedomtoworkwiththeirowninterests,allowingtheircreativityto shine,andenhancetheirpresentationskillsbysharingtheirworkaloud Theonlythingstudentsneedtobringtoclassare theiriPadsandtheirimaginations Exampleprojectsincludezines,spookystories,anddigitalmoviemaking
Quarterly Courses
SIXTH GRADE:
ART AND 2D DESIGN: Projectswillfocuson2-dimensionaldesign,line,patternandtheotherelementsofartthrough avarietyof2Dmediums.Studentswilldiscoverthefundamentalsofcomposition,color,andthecreativeprocesswhile unleashingtheircreativity. Fromtherestudentswilllearntoconceptualizeanddrawobjectsin3dimensionson2D surfacesfromdifferentanglesandperspectives.
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS 6 isaquarter-longcourseinwhichstudentswilllearnvarioushelpful,funwaysto improvetheirstudyandorganizationalhabits.Thecoursebeginswithactivitiesthathelpstudentsidentifytheirown uniquelearningstyleandstudypreferences.Classroomlessonsandactivitieswillshowstudentshowtoleveragetheir individualstrengthsinordertoimproveorganizationalskills.Specificskillstaughtwillinclude:organization,time management,note-taking,homeworkcompletion,projects/long-termassignmentcompletion,preparationforformal assessments(quizzesandtests),andtest-takingstrategies.
PERFORMING
ARTS
FOUNDATIONS
6 Everwishyoucouldtryalltheperformingartswithouthavingtochoose justone?Welcometotheultimatesamplerplatterforcurious6thgraderswholiketosing,act,create,andperform Inthis class,studentswillexplorewhatitmeanstobeaperformerinlotsofdifferentways We’lllearnhowtoperformaspartofa group,writeoriginalsongs,andrecordmusicintherecordingstudio Studentswillalsoreadthroughplays,tryoutacting techniques,anddiscoverwhatgoesintobeingaconfident,creative,andwell-roundedperformer Thinkofthiscourseasa tastingmenuoftheperformingarts fun,low-pressure,andpackedwithchancestodiscoverwhatyoulovemostabout beingon(orbehind!)thestage
WELLNESS 6 (seecoursedescription)
SEVENTH GRADE:
ART AND 3D DESIGN: Projectswillbuildupontheskillslearnedin6thgradeandintroducestudentstocreatingartin 3dimensionswithanumberofsculptureprojects Thesewillinclude,butarenotlimitedtocardboard,styrofoam,recycled materials,andpapermache,allculminatingina3DprintingprojecttopreparethemfortheMakerspace
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP 7 (seecoursedescription)
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS 7 isaquarter-longcourseinwhichnewly-enrolled7thgraderswilllearnvarioushelpful, funwaystoimprovetheirstudyandorganizationalhabits.Thesestrategiesandtipswillincludefocusareassuchas organization,timemanagement,note-taking,homeworkcompletion,projects/long-termassignmentcompletion, preparationforformalassessments(quizzesandtests),andtest-takingstrategies.Atthestartofthecourse,studentswill selectoneareawheretheywouldliketoimprovetheirstudyhabitsandthencreateaplantotackleandimprovethatarea. Midwaythroughthequarterandagainattheendofthequarter,theywillassesshowwelltheyachievedthatgoal.Students willnotbeassignedgradedhomeworkforeveryclass.Theymightbeasked,however,togohome,checkouttheirstudy spaces,discussstudyingandproductivitywiththeirparents,orparticipateinotheractivitiesforthenextclass.
WELLNESS 7 (seecoursedescription)
EIGHTH GRADE:
PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP 8 (seecoursedescription)
MAKERSPACE: CreativeProblemSolving.Studentsinthiscoursewillworkthroughdesignchallengesandsolve problemsbyprototypingandmakinginanynumberofmaterials.Theywillbeencouragedtoaskrepeatedly,“Whatelse couldthisbe?”and“Whatelsecouldthisdo?”Alongtheway,theywillexpandtheirimaginations,sharpentheir observationskills,andlearntocritiquewithpositivityandfocus.
ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION Thiscourse,usingtheresourcesoftheCenterforInnovationandDesign (CID),explorestheprocessofmodernmusicproduction StudentswillreceivetraininginApple’sLogicProDigitalAudio Workstationastheylearnhowtocraftbeatsandbasslinesaspartoforiginalcompositionprojects Eachstudentwilluse theirownindividualworkstationsinCID2whichincludepianokeyboardsandMIDIpadcontrollers Studentswillalso learnhowtomulti-recordvocaltracksusingtheAudioStudioinCID3 Completedsongswillthenbeuploadedand sharedwiththeMBScommunity
WELLNESS 8 (seecoursedescription)
Sports & Fitness
TheprimarygoaloftheMBSMiddleSchoolAthleticProgramistoprovideasportsprogramthatemphasizesthe developmentofthestudent-athleteacademically,emotionally,socially,andphysically.Coachesstressthevirtuesof sportsmanship,commitment,integrity,andteamworkinasupportiveandempathicenvironment.
Student-athleteslearnthevaluesofparticipatinginsportsandphysicalactivities.IntheMorristownBeardMiddleSchool AthleticProgram,studentswilllearntovalueandappreciatehonestcompetitionbasedontherulesofthegame.
Student-athleteswilllearntorespectthesporttheyplayandallwhograntthatopportunitytoplay.Thisincludes,butis notlimitedto,teammates,coaches,officials,opponents,andfans
Thefitnessprogramincludesspeedandagilitytrainingaswaystoimproverunning/sprintingformandtechnique Students learntoimprovetheirfirststepandgainstridelength Agilitydrillsarealsoutilizedtodevelopoverallquickness Strength andflexibilityexerciseshelpstudentsbecomestrongerwhilekeepingafocusonbuildingandmaintainingflexibility Planks, squats,push-ups,andsit-upsareusedtogainstrengthwithoutusingweights,whileflexibilityisachievedthroughexercises suchasstaticstretchinganddynamicstretchingandyoga
FALL:
CROSS COUNTRY
FIELD HOCKEY
GIRLS TENNIS FITNESS
CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL
SOCCER
VOLLEYBALL
WINTER: BASKETBALL FITNESS
CO-ED ICE HOCKEY CO-ED SWIMMING
SPRING: BASEBALL
BOYS TENNIS FITNESS
LACROSSE SOFTBALL TRACK
Within a culture of support and collaboration, Morristown Beard School students discover and develop their individual pathways to academic success and personal fulfillment while becoming enlightened, morally responsible citizens of the world.
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