Middle School 10.2021

Middle School 10.2021

ANN AND NATE LEVINE ACADEMY LEVINE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 5-8 CURRICULUM GUIDE

JUSTICE CITIZENSHIP HOLINESS RESPECT INTEGRITY RESPONSIBILITY CARING

MISSION STATEMENT Ann & Nate Levine Academy is an inclusive, dynamic, Jewish day school which fosters leadership, creativity, critical thinking, and Jewish values while empowering its students with integrity, self-

confidence, and intellectual curiosity. EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

Critical Thinking

Community

Global Citizenship

Preparatory Curriculum

Creativity

Confidence

Collaboration

Zionism

Growth Mindset

Commitment

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Ann and Nate Levine Academy offers an innovative curriculum combining the best of both general and Jewish studies. Our curriculum is based on recognized models of excellence and is continuously reviewed and reformed by extensive research. Based practice instruction, state-of-the-art technology, fully equipped science labs, and individualized attention ensure our students’ success academically, emotionally and spiritually. Students cultivate their study skills, critical thinking, and creativity every day: at the computer, in Social Studies and Math classes, during reading, Language Arts and library, and in the study of Torah and Jewish tradition. Levine Academy is committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere of diversity. Teachers and students reflect different traditions of Jewish observance and share a variety of skills and interests. Teaching is tailored to each child’s needs and strengths, not to a class average. This allows children to move ahead in areas of strength and to receive additional attention in areas of need. Our approach fosters self-confidence and promotes success. CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS At Ann and Nate Levine Academy, development of the whole child is essential. We encourage our students to explore and achieve expertise in a wide variety of enrichment activities both during the school day and after school. Our curriculum includes studio art, art appreciation, music appreciation, Hebrew music, band instruction and choir. Every year there is a unique line-up of special interest topics to explore in the Middle School elective program. The P.E. classes from K through 8 emphasize the acquisition and expansion of basic athletic skills, responsible play and competition, while teaching students healthy choices and preparing them for interscholastic and intramural sports. In the Middle School, Levine Academy teams competewith other independent schools. Students in theMiddle School also have several leadership opportunities, including serving as School Ambassador, participating in Community Service, and serving on the Levine Academy Student Congress. Congress members meet with a faculty advisor to plan school activities, community projects and fundraisers. HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT Ann and Nate Levine Academy has an extensive counseling and informational program for high school placement, serving both the students and their parents. The process begins in the fall of the Eighth Grade with a parent meeting designed to furnish families with all the information regarding the application process and to advise families on how to select a high school for their student that “fits” him or her in terms of intellectual, emotional, and social growth. Students work closely with administrators and staff to complete a resume, write their high school application essay, and develop interview skills. The Head of School and Director of Admissions make visits to all the schools our students are applying to, and they advocate for our students, highlighting their strengths and talents. Ann and Nate Levine Academy’s high school placement program is founded on the principles of selecting the best school “fit” for each student and then advocating for that student.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 5 - 8 | CURRICULUM GUIDE

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LEVINE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL GENERAL OVERVIEW Middle School at Levine Academy offers a rigorous academic program designed to foster academic excellence and meet individual needs, nurturing each student’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder. Students in Fifth through Eighth Grade are encouraged to think creatively and challenge themselves and their peers to reach new levels of achievement. The Middle School experience emphasizes individual development, self-responsibility, being a positive member of the school community and the community at large, as well as being an active participant in one’s own learning. Our outstanding teachers emphasize higher-order thinking skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Outside the classroom, students have many opportunities to nurture their individual interests and unique abilities. Students may choose to develop leadership skills by participating in Student Congress, Student Ambassador program, National Junior Honor Society, or Gabbai Club (a student lead group that organizes and enhances services). There are also many opportunities for participation in state, national, and worldwide competitions in the areas of Language Arts, current events, Social Studies, Hebrew language, writing, and math. Middle School students also have outstanding opportunities to experience their world through travel throughout Texas, to Washington, D.C., New York, and Israel. Levine Academy Middle School students study Hebrew and Jewish studies including selections from the Tanach (Bible) with classical and modern commentators. The study of history progresses from ancient through the rabbinic, medieval, and modern periods. All Middle School students participate in a program of Jewish ethics and values, which centers on respect, relationships, and personal growth. Jewish holidays and special commemorative days are learned through educational units and programming. With so many opportunities to learn and achieve both inside and outside the classroom, students leave Levine Academy well prepared to excel in the challenging high school years and beyond.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL HEBREW Bishvil Ha-Ivrit is a cutting edge Hebrew language program, bringing Hebrew alive with print and digital media and face-to-face and virtual training for Hebrew teachers. HEBREW LANGUAGE LEARNING The program cultivates all aspects of Hebrew language learning -- grammar and content, conversations and literature, poetry and factual information, drills and exercises and topics for lively discussion, songs and moral dilemmas, writing assignments and independent reading, current events and Biblical texts. TEFILLA (PRAYERS) Our Tefilla program follows the Levine path of learning by doing. On Mondays and Thursdays the entire Middle School participates in a traditional structured service that prepares them to participate in and lead services in their local synagogues. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, they participate in services in a more intimate setting by grade or class in a program called Iyun Tefilla (Investigating Prayers). In Iyun Tefilla, the students participate in services in a smaller setting where they learn how to connect to the prayers through spiritual practices like “mindfulness” and hitbodedut (meditation). Additionally, in Iyun Tefilla, each grade focuses on specific themes or prayers. Furthermore, twice a month students experience alternative service where their Avodat Hashem (Service of G-d) and prayer takes place in alternative forms like Yoga, dance, or meditation, etc. We use a unique Koren Siddur that is written specifically for children and education. The format of the Siddur allows the children to seamlessly explore the services independently or with their teacher with provocative questions, art, poetry, and inspirational commentaries TECHNOLOGY Technology enhances and supports learningwith audio recordings, interactive technology, documentary films, and more. As students speak, read, write, and listen to spoken Hebrew, they encounter new viewpoints on daily life in Israel, Jewish tradition and history, and general world knowledge. CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS Theprogramoffersmaterials for all Hebrew levels, frombeginners to advanced. Thematerials encourage an ongoing and dynamic interaction between content, linguistics, and skill development. It offers a wide variety of genres - prose and poetry, conversations, interviews, articles, notes, questionnaires and more; opportunities to master the 4 communicative skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking; and a sequential progression of grammar and linguistics. The curriculum is made up of: • Mechina (fully online module)

• Beginners (Bishvil Ha-Ivrit 1 and 2) • Intermediate (Bishvil Ha-Ivrit 3 and 4) • Advanced (Bishvil Ha-Ivrit 5, online module on Freedom and NETA Books 22-25)

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES 5 - 8 | CURRICULUM GUIDE

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FIFTH GRADE OVERVIEW LANGUAGE ARTS

The Fifth Grade Language Arts curriculum focuses on developing a reading and writing community in the classroom. Through Writer’s Workshop, we delve into the craft of writing from spelling to grammar, and into many other characteristics of the writing process. Writing, sharing, and focusing on individual areas of growth for each student helps develop students’ writing proficiency. In reading, we continue to foster a reading community through class studies of novels as well as free choice selections. In our book studies, we build a common background to evolve our frame of reference and discussions for future reading endeavors. Also, we delve into the structural components of reading as well as explore the literary devices within the novels. Independently, students choose books to read and share through book talks, thereby, encouraging others to join our reading community. Our Language Arts curriculum embraces the use of technology to further expand our reading knowledge through nonfiction pieces, vocabulary development, and other technology that fosters a love and culture of reading and writing. SOCIAL STUDIES The Fifth Grade Social Studies curriculum is “World Cultures.” The curriculum begins with the study of basic geographic concepts and map skills. Then the students use a variety of resources to learn about the various continents on our globe, looking at specific countries in each one. Focus is on the geography, history, and culture of these countries, bringing a broader global awareness to the world around them. In addition to group discussions, students work individually, with partners, and in small group settings to solidify and enhance their learning. Supplementing this curriculum are ongoing current events lessons, using a variety of resources. MATHEMATICS Math in the Fifth GradeMiddle School program continues to use the familiarity of EverydayMathematics but also adds to the level of rigor by introducing more advanced concepts and techniques that further develop application and enhance students explanatory ability. Differentiation is built into the curriculum by incorporating reteaching, review and enrichment activities. Khan Academy is used to further advance practice and Mentoring Minds and Challenge Math are used to further challenge students. Weekly/Biweekly math labs are also introduced to the math curriculum to show the importance of math in the real world. STEM Fifth Grade student scientists, through utilization of the Engineering Design Process and whole-group discourse, are able to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen through the development of a model. Students develop an understanding of the idea that regardless of the type of change that matter undergoes, the total weight of matter is conserved. Students determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances. Through the development of a model

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using an example, students are able to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. They describe and graph >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16

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