Course Directory
Our challenging standards-based curriculum emphasizes the development of essential skills, the understanding of important concepts, and the ability to apply learning to real-world problems.
Our curriculum includes courses of study for all students in English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, music, visual arts, physical education, and health. In addition, students take grade-specific trimester courses in technology, research, and study skills which are designed to support their integrated learning experience.
Grade 7
World Languages
The ASMS sixth through eighth grade French curriculum engages students by means of interactive, student-driven activities such as impromptu role play and skit creation and by means of maintaining high motivation using varied student groupings to create an authentic need for communication. Students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are further supported by the frequent use of engaging multimedia tools. In 6th grade, in addition to student assimilation of the basics necessary for simple communication, instruction aims at the development of study methods and techniques that allow students to become increasingly independent in efficiently learning vocabulary and conjugations. Later grades focus on students’ capability to initiate and sustain conversation using a broad variety of idiomatic expressions and more sophisticated syntactic constructions. Cultural study is interwoven throughout the curriculum. At the conclusion of their French middle school experience, students take an in-house foreign language proficiency exam in order to help determine optimal placement in either regular or advanced language courses available to them in high school.
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French 7
Seventh-grade French builds on the curriculum introduced in French 6, but it has an ever-increasing thrust toward more precision and elaboration in students' verbal communication and a greater emphasis on written expression. Continued reliance on interactive student-driven activities such as skit conception and role-play is intended to create an authentic exchange of information. Initiation to the conjugation of more complex verbs begins, and students work to acquire grammar skills using a greater variety of pronouns and indirect constructions. Units taught include All About Me, At the Market, My Community, and Clothing. Each unit of study includes a corresponding story, activity, or project which promotes the relevancy of new grammar and vocabulary.