Upper School
The RCDS Upper School Program prepares students in 5th–8th Grade for success in secondary school and beyond.
The program is established to meet the social emotional and academic needs of each child by developing lifelong skills that emphasize problem solving, communication and organization.
The program is established to meet the social emotional and academic needs of each child by developing lifelong skills that emphasize problem solving, communication and organization.
Welcome to the Upper School, where we create an engaging, challenging, and rewarding world for our fifth through eighth graders. In these grades young people become more curious and better equipped to handle sophisticated academic work. We develop a foundation for this scholarship. We foster communication skills, encouraging analysis and critical thinking, and cultivate logical and creative approaches to problem solving. We achieve these goals by addressing the needs of each student, so that every child is both challenged and nurtured.
Over these four years, a child's worldview will change in remarkable ways, and by eighth grade, that child will have become a young adult. Our culture fosters the dignity of every individual and focuses on the inherent worth of each stage in a young person's development. Being a sixth grader is much more than preparation for being a seventh grader; being a sixth grader is a rich and valuable experience in its own right.
At RCDS, we are not only preparing our children for success in secondary school and college. We are also helping our children to accomplish in the moment, and we are starting them on a thoughtful, independent journey that extends beyond their school experience.
“We are helping our children to accomplish in the moment, and we are starting them on a thoughtful, independent journey that extends beyond their school experience."Bill Lamb
Head of Upper School
What do we learn?
MATHEMATICS
Founded on the idea that mastery underpins advancement, the Upper School Mathematics Program develops the logical and abstract reasoning skills needed to appreciate and apply math in everyday situations.
Fifth Grade
Beginning with the fifth grade arithmetic course, students not only master math facts, but also learn to apply those facts in novel ways. Individual projects demonstrate their growing knowledge of Geometry and challenges like a grade-wide basketball shot contest help develop their knowledge of statistics and value in making predictions.
Beginning with the fifth grade arithmetic course, students not only master math facts, but also learn to apply those facts in novel ways. Individual projects demonstrate their growing knowledge of Geometry and challenges like a grade-wide basketball shot contest help develop their knowledge of statistics and value in making predictions.
Sixth Grade
The sixth grade Math Program combines continued reinforcement of numeracy skills with an introduction to abstract reasoning. At its most fundamental, the program requires students to work with variables. More broadly, the students use their math skills to find answers to real world problems, such as determining how economies of scale can help a company to earn more profit. The course also entails collaborative learning, which requires the students to explain their reasoning to their peers.
The sixth grade Math Program combines continued reinforcement of numeracy skills with an introduction to abstract reasoning. At its most fundamental, the program requires students to work with variables. More broadly, the students use their math skills to find answers to real world problems, such as determining how economies of scale can help a company to earn more profit. The course also entails collaborative learning, which requires the students to explain their reasoning to their peers.
Seventh and Eighth Grade
The fifth and sixth grade courses develop the necessary foundation in numeracy and reasoning skills for seventh grade Pre-Algebra and eighth grade Algebra. This two year sequence makes new demands on the students’ academic skills, as the class balances direct instruction and group work. Most enjoyable, both the seventh and eighth grade classes feature group activities that combine algebra, collaboration, and competition - these classrooms can be noisy, enthusiastic places. Importantly, both courses use Geometry as a teaching and problem solving tool, so the students develop a familiarity with the content before entering secondary school.
The fifth and sixth grade courses develop the necessary foundation in numeracy and reasoning skills for seventh grade Pre-Algebra and eighth grade Algebra. This two year sequence makes new demands on the students’ academic skills, as the class balances direct instruction and group work. Most enjoyable, both the seventh and eighth grade classes feature group activities that combine algebra, collaboration, and competition - these classrooms can be noisy, enthusiastic places. Importantly, both courses use Geometry as a teaching and problem solving tool, so the students develop a familiarity with the content before entering secondary school.
Cross Curricular Integration
Integration of mathematics skills and knowledge is embedded across the curriculum and in future disciplines. For example, the sixth grade Science Program requires measurement and data collection, thereby reinforcing the students’ numeracy and reasoning skills, while the seventh grade Geography Program includes a major unit on Demographics and Economics, in which students conduct statistical studies of African nations. Students use abstract reasoning to balance equations in their Physical Science course and all of our students use their knowledge of measurement and Geometry in Woodshop – a required program in fifth through seventh grades. At the end of their RCDS careers, most of our students have completed an enriched Algebra I course, and all of them have developed the numeracy and symbolic reasoning skills to thrive not only in Mathematics but in other disciplines, such as Chemistry and Physics.
Integration of mathematics skills and knowledge is embedded across the curriculum and in future disciplines. For example, the sixth grade Science Program requires measurement and data collection, thereby reinforcing the students’ numeracy and reasoning skills, while the seventh grade Geography Program includes a major unit on Demographics and Economics, in which students conduct statistical studies of African nations. Students use abstract reasoning to balance equations in their Physical Science course and all of our students use their knowledge of measurement and Geometry in Woodshop – a required program in fifth through seventh grades. At the end of their RCDS careers, most of our students have completed an enriched Algebra I course, and all of them have developed the numeracy and symbolic reasoning skills to thrive not only in Mathematics but in other disciplines, such as Chemistry and Physics.
SCIENCE
The RCDS Science program strives to make our students recognize and understand the world around them. The program centers its pedagogy in learning by doing – designing and conducting experiments in a laboratory environment and employing design thinking principles to solve real world problems. At the end of their RCDS careers, our students have the knowledge to appreciate the wonders of our natural world and to understand its interaction with humanity, as well as the skills to develop hypotheses, collect data, draw conclusions, and develop solutions.
Fifth Grade
In the fifth grade Earth Science Program, project-based inquiry science introduces the steps of the scientific method and the basic principles of design thinking. Through a series of hands on investigations, students develop the skills essential for exploration of the world. Continuing in sixth grade, the two year program sparks wonder in the world, directs active and responsible stewardship of the planet, and fosters the essential laboratory skills for scientific inquiry.
In the fifth grade Earth Science Program, project-based inquiry science introduces the steps of the scientific method and the basic principles of design thinking. Through a series of hands on investigations, students develop the skills essential for exploration of the world. Continuing in sixth grade, the two year program sparks wonder in the world, directs active and responsible stewardship of the planet, and fosters the essential laboratory skills for scientific inquiry.
Sixth Grade
The sixth grade Earth Science Program capitalizes on design thinking skills, as the students expand their knowledge of Astronomy, Meteorology, Geology, and Environmental Science. Two cornerstone projects round out the learning experience: The Egg Drop Experiment and The Endangered Species Project. Students eagerly anticipate the Egg Drop Experiment which challenges them to design and build a device that protects an egg during a two story fall. In each successive year, the department alters the parameters of the design - for example, parachutes are not permitted - to foster creativity. For their Endangered Species Project, students research a threatened species and identify the environmental pressures that contribute to the animal’s plight. They identify solutions, and must present their research to the grade in a culminating showcase.
The sixth grade Earth Science Program capitalizes on design thinking skills, as the students expand their knowledge of Astronomy, Meteorology, Geology, and Environmental Science. Two cornerstone projects round out the learning experience: The Egg Drop Experiment and The Endangered Species Project. Students eagerly anticipate the Egg Drop Experiment which challenges them to design and build a device that protects an egg during a two story fall. In each successive year, the department alters the parameters of the design - for example, parachutes are not permitted - to foster creativity. For their Endangered Species Project, students research a threatened species and identify the environmental pressures that contribute to the animal’s plight. They identify solutions, and must present their research to the grade in a culminating showcase.
Seventh Grade
Seventh Graders participate in an introductory Physical Science Program that develops knowledge of both Chemistry and Physics. Blending both classical and modern perspectives on the physical world, the course cultivates an understanding of matter, energy, and their inter-relationships. Blending presentations and inquiry, students must combine the laboratory skills learned in fifth and sixth grade and the abstract reasoning and problem solving skills developed in the RCDS Math Program. Requiring mathematical analysis, students discover basic principles of chemistry and physics through directed, open inquiry, and design thinking activities. For example, in one instance students learn about conserving heat and the first law of thermodynamics by designing thermal coffee mugs from recycled materials.
Seventh Graders participate in an introductory Physical Science Program that develops knowledge of both Chemistry and Physics. Blending both classical and modern perspectives on the physical world, the course cultivates an understanding of matter, energy, and their inter-relationships. Blending presentations and inquiry, students must combine the laboratory skills learned in fifth and sixth grade and the abstract reasoning and problem solving skills developed in the RCDS Math Program. Requiring mathematical analysis, students discover basic principles of chemistry and physics through directed, open inquiry, and design thinking activities. For example, in one instance students learn about conserving heat and the first law of thermodynamics by designing thermal coffee mugs from recycled materials.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade Biological Science Program is a culminating experience. Students use their laboratory and research skills, as well as their knowledge of physics and chemistry, to study living organisms and their effects on one another. An example of this approach involves the multi-experiment process by which they discover the caloric content of different foods and then determine which foods are the most efficient providers of energy to human cells. This unit begins with the excitement of burning different foods and taking observations to determine their energy content. It ends with students creating models of active transport.
The eighth grade Biological Science Program is a culminating experience. Students use their laboratory and research skills, as well as their knowledge of physics and chemistry, to study living organisms and their effects on one another. An example of this approach involves the multi-experiment process by which they discover the caloric content of different foods and then determine which foods are the most efficient providers of energy to human cells. This unit begins with the excitement of burning different foods and taking observations to determine their energy content. It ends with students creating models of active transport.
SOCIAL STUDIES
The Upper School Social Studies Program teaches students to understand past and present through critical, fact-based inquiry. By leveraging the students’ innate curiosity, this approach combines work in several interrelated disciplines - History, Geography, Economics, Theology, Politics, and Civics - to develop the academic skills and habits of mind for young people to make meaning of the larger world around them. Much of this work centers on developing foundational knowledge about human history.
Fifth Grade
The fifth grade Social Studies Program provides an extensive survey of the Ancient World – Human Origins in Africa, Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent, Ancient China, Greece, and Classical Rome. Through group projects on these topics students develop research and presentation skills. Importantly, they put those instilled skills to use in more than one academic discipline. For example, fifth graders participate in “Genius Hour”. Motivated by Google’s passion projects that allow employees to dedicate 20% of working hours to their own ideas, students are encouraged to explore their own passions and identify a related particular need. They then research and develop solutions, and present their project to a panel of adults and peers.
The fifth grade Social Studies Program provides an extensive survey of the Ancient World – Human Origins in Africa, Mesopotamia, the Fertile Crescent, Ancient China, Greece, and Classical Rome. Through group projects on these topics students develop research and presentation skills. Importantly, they put those instilled skills to use in more than one academic discipline. For example, fifth graders participate in “Genius Hour”. Motivated by Google’s passion projects that allow employees to dedicate 20% of working hours to their own ideas, students are encouraged to explore their own passions and identify a related particular need. They then research and develop solutions, and present their project to a panel of adults and peers.
Sixth Grade
Sixth Grade introduces students to the five themes of Geography, through a focus on the Western Hemisphere. The course builds from cartography – the construction, interpretation, and application of maps – to an introductory study of the history and societies of North and South America. Most of the culminating assignments are project based, such as the Trip to Los Angeles Signature Project, during which students research and plan a week-long driving excursion from their homes in New Jersey to Los Angeles. Taking into account the accompanying costs, their cross-country routes, and various stops along the way, they create a final itinerary, complete with directions, budget, and narrative descriptions of important sites during their journey.
Sixth Grade introduces students to the five themes of Geography, through a focus on the Western Hemisphere. The course builds from cartography – the construction, interpretation, and application of maps – to an introductory study of the history and societies of North and South America. Most of the culminating assignments are project based, such as the Trip to Los Angeles Signature Project, during which students research and plan a week-long driving excursion from their homes in New Jersey to Los Angeles. Taking into account the accompanying costs, their cross-country routes, and various stops along the way, they create a final itinerary, complete with directions, budget, and narrative descriptions of important sites during their journey.
Seventh Grade
Seventh graders continue their study of the world with a focus on the Eastern Hemisphere. Using the foundational skills from fifth and sixth grades, the students focus on particular areas.
Seventh graders continue their study of the world with a focus on the Eastern Hemisphere. Using the foundational skills from fifth and sixth grades, the students focus on particular areas.
The fall begins with a conversation about their summer reading, I Am Malala, and a close survey of the present culture of Pakistan. The course proceeds into a Comparative Religion unit, in which students examine the three Abrahamic faiths, collaborate to devise and present their own religions, and conduct independent research on a world religion. The culminating project is a research paper which is written in collaboration with the Language Arts Program. In the winter, students use these skills to examine Medieval Europe, a unit which introduces the fundamentals of economics.
The spring concludes with an extensive study of Modern Africa. One culminating project involves the economic analysis of an African Nation through available data on population, resources, and commerce. In collaboration with the technology department, students present their findings with an accompanying spreadsheet that includes demographic documentation of their data.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade Social Studies Program provides a thematic study of United States History. The course’s major units comprise the Road to Revolution, the Constitution and Law, Civil Rights, and The United States and the World. Much of the content is integrated across the curriculum. For example, the year begins with a study of summer reading. Students read Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, to introduce the theme of Civil Rights. In addition, students read To Kill a Mockingbird and participate in a Mock Trial, in which they assume roles, research, and act out a trial drawn from current events. In the spring, students embark on an annual three day trip to Boston and they research and write a major paper, which they must defend in front of a panel of teachers. By the end of eighth grade, students have the necessary skills to develop relevant questions about American society, research the problems through primary sources and available data, and present causes and possible solutions.
The eighth grade Social Studies Program provides a thematic study of United States History. The course’s major units comprise the Road to Revolution, the Constitution and Law, Civil Rights, and The United States and the World. Much of the content is integrated across the curriculum. For example, the year begins with a study of summer reading. Students read Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, to introduce the theme of Civil Rights. In addition, students read To Kill a Mockingbird and participate in a Mock Trial, in which they assume roles, research, and act out a trial drawn from current events. In the spring, students embark on an annual three day trip to Boston and they research and write a major paper, which they must defend in front of a panel of teachers. By the end of eighth grade, students have the necessary skills to develop relevant questions about American society, research the problems through primary sources and available data, and present causes and possible solutions.
WORLD LANGUAGE
The RCDS World Language Program comprises two threads: a four year pursuit in a modern language - French or Spanish - and a two year capstone course in Latin.
The study of a modern language and the cultures in which it is used strengthens the students’ thinking skills and work habits. It enhances their ability to make connections among the various academic disciplines and facilitates the acquisition of other languages. This work enables young people to interact with others in their communities and leads them to an appreciation of their responsibility in the world community. The modern language study emphasizes core content for speaking, listening, reading, and writing in the language.
At the end of their RCDS experience, students have completed the first year of secondary school study in both their modern language and Latin. More importantly, they develop an appreciation of other cultures, their impact on American society and English, and language acquisition skills that will aid them in their lives.
The study of a modern language and the cultures in which it is used strengthens the students’ thinking skills and work habits. It enhances their ability to make connections among the various academic disciplines and facilitates the acquisition of other languages. This work enables young people to interact with others in their communities and leads them to an appreciation of their responsibility in the world community. The modern language study emphasizes core content for speaking, listening, reading, and writing in the language.
At the end of their RCDS experience, students have completed the first year of secondary school study in both their modern language and Latin. More importantly, they develop an appreciation of other cultures, their impact on American society and English, and language acquisition skills that will aid them in their lives.
Fifth and Sixth Grade
The fifth and sixth grade Modern Language courses focus on the study of language as an academic discipline and the development of cultural competencies. Both classes acquaint students with the geography of language - where French and Spanish are spoken in the world and the reasons for these patterns. Through the acquisition of vocabulary, the development of grammar skills, and exercises in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, the children learn not only how to communicate in the target language, but to compare and contrast French or Spanish with English. These conversations lead to appreciation of the similarities and differences between and within cultures.
The fifth and sixth grade Modern Language courses focus on the study of language as an academic discipline and the development of cultural competencies. Both classes acquaint students with the geography of language - where French and Spanish are spoken in the world and the reasons for these patterns. Through the acquisition of vocabulary, the development of grammar skills, and exercises in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, the children learn not only how to communicate in the target language, but to compare and contrast French or Spanish with English. These conversations lead to appreciation of the similarities and differences between and within cultures.
Seventh and Eighth Grade
The work in fifth and sixth grade lays the foundation for the seventh and eighth grade programs, in which students develop original content in French or Spanish, such as presentations, skits, stories, and projects. They also learn to construct meaning from content in the target language, a process which includes reading literature and examining media. Consequently, public presentation is a core competency of the language program - students must present their learning, often in the target language - on a weekly basis. In the middle of the year, the students also complete Performance Based Assessments - multi-step evaluations in which the children learn by listening and reading and then present their learning in writing and class presentations.
The work in fifth and sixth grade lays the foundation for the seventh and eighth grade programs, in which students develop original content in French or Spanish, such as presentations, skits, stories, and projects. They also learn to construct meaning from content in the target language, a process which includes reading literature and examining media. Consequently, public presentation is a core competency of the language program - students must present their learning, often in the target language - on a weekly basis. In the middle of the year, the students also complete Performance Based Assessments - multi-step evaluations in which the children learn by listening and reading and then present their learning in writing and class presentations.
Seventh and Eighth Grade: Latin
Students in seventh and eighth grades take Latin in addition to their world language selection. Based in language instruction, the Latin courses provide an interdisciplinary experience, in which students gain proficiency in reading and translating while learning the impacts of classical Rome on modern American life and society. The basis of Romance languages, Latin complements the students’ study of French, Spanish, and English. As an inflected language, Latin provides a foundation for the students’ possible study of non-Romance languages, such as German, Dutch or Greek. Since the Roman Empire greatly influenced the Western European tradition, the study of its culture will give students greater insight when studying the language, literature, art, history, law, and government of both European and American countries.
The Latin courses emphasize class participation, individual scholarship, and collaboration. Unlike many studies of Latin, the course develops basic spoken language skills through daily classroom interactions. Through a consistent acquisition of vocabulary, students develop skills in writing in Latin. This approach combines written work, online practice, and classroom interactive classroom activities. As the students advance to eighth grade, the course includes more and more individual reading for learning cultural content, including the Homeric age, the works of Virgil, and knowledge of Roman Culture. This content is closely aligned with the RCDS Social Studies and Literature programs. In the spring, all seventh and eighth graders take the National Latin Exam. Historically, RCDS students' exam scores have exceeded national averages.
The Latin courses emphasize class participation, individual scholarship, and collaboration. Unlike many studies of Latin, the course develops basic spoken language skills through daily classroom interactions. Through a consistent acquisition of vocabulary, students develop skills in writing in Latin. This approach combines written work, online practice, and classroom interactive classroom activities. As the students advance to eighth grade, the course includes more and more individual reading for learning cultural content, including the Homeric age, the works of Virgil, and knowledge of Roman Culture. This content is closely aligned with the RCDS Social Studies and Literature programs. In the spring, all seventh and eighth graders take the National Latin Exam. Historically, RCDS students' exam scores have exceeded national averages.
LANGUAGE ARTS
In the Upper School, Language Arts comprises one strand of our English program. The curriculum focuses on the skills critical to communication: writing, speaking, listening, and reading. By building their vocabulary and grammar skills, students master the essentials to become effective writers and presenters in a variety of settings.
Fifth Grade
The fifth grade curriculum balances direct instruction in grammar, spelling, and vocabulary with daily journaling, opinion pieces, formal essays, and presentations. By developing foundational knowledge in parts of speech, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation, students become effective writers and speakers. This approach emphasizes the process of writing and includes daily journaling, persuasive essays on topics relevant to the students’ lives, and an introduction to analytical writing. Students also develop their public speaking skills. A series of group projects include designing and developing presentations and websites on grammar concepts and study skills. The students present this work to their peers and to the fourth grade, as a primer to Upper School life.
The fifth grade curriculum balances direct instruction in grammar, spelling, and vocabulary with daily journaling, opinion pieces, formal essays, and presentations. By developing foundational knowledge in parts of speech, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation, students become effective writers and speakers. This approach emphasizes the process of writing and includes daily journaling, persuasive essays on topics relevant to the students’ lives, and an introduction to analytical writing. Students also develop their public speaking skills. A series of group projects include designing and developing presentations and websites on grammar concepts and study skills. The students present this work to their peers and to the fourth grade, as a primer to Upper School life.
Sixth Grade
The sixth grade program continues the formal study of writing mechanics with a greater emphasis on longer essays and individual presentations. The writing requires greater sophistication. Journal prompts are more abstract, and students must conduct research on many of their essay topics. The formal essays and presentations emphasize a process that includes pre-writing, organization, drafting, and rewriting. Sixth graders also learn and practice the rules of formal debate to refine their argumentation and logical thinking. Other disciplines reinforce these skills through their major assignments in other classes, such as the Endangered Species Project in sixth grade Science and the Trip to Los Angeles project in Geography, as well as the Mock Trial in eighth grade History.
The sixth grade program continues the formal study of writing mechanics with a greater emphasis on longer essays and individual presentations. The writing requires greater sophistication. Journal prompts are more abstract, and students must conduct research on many of their essay topics. The formal essays and presentations emphasize a process that includes pre-writing, organization, drafting, and rewriting. Sixth graders also learn and practice the rules of formal debate to refine their argumentation and logical thinking. Other disciplines reinforce these skills through their major assignments in other classes, such as the Endangered Species Project in sixth grade Science and the Trip to Los Angeles project in Geography, as well as the Mock Trial in eighth grade History.
Seventh Grade
The seventh grade curriculum consolidates much of the formal grammar instruction from the previous two years into frequent application through daily journaling, frequent short form responses, and continued essay writing. Direct instruction in more sophisticated analysis and application - for example, identifying dependent clauses and independent clauses, and then using subordination to draft effective arguments - continues. The vocabulary study continues, with direct relationships to students' world language and Latin studies providing frequent interdisciplinary connections. Many of these skills find direct application in the concurrent literature program, as well as in the Major Religion paper in Geography and independent chemistry projects in science.
The seventh grade curriculum consolidates much of the formal grammar instruction from the previous two years into frequent application through daily journaling, frequent short form responses, and continued essay writing. Direct instruction in more sophisticated analysis and application - for example, identifying dependent clauses and independent clauses, and then using subordination to draft effective arguments - continues. The vocabulary study continues, with direct relationships to students' world language and Latin studies providing frequent interdisciplinary connections. Many of these skills find direct application in the concurrent literature program, as well as in the Major Religion paper in Geography and independent chemistry projects in science.
Seventh Grade
The seventh grade curriculum consolidates much of the formal grammar instruction from the previous two years into frequent application through daily journaling, frequent short form responses, and continued essay writing. Direct instruction in more sophisticated analysis and application - for example, identifying dependent clauses and independent clauses, and then using subordination to draft effective arguments - continues. The vocabulary study continues, with direct relationships to students' world language and Latin studies providing frequent interdisciplinary connections. Many of these skills find direct application in the concurrent literature program, as well as in the Major Religion paper in Geography and independent chemistry projects in science.
The seventh grade curriculum consolidates much of the formal grammar instruction from the previous two years into frequent application through daily journaling, frequent short form responses, and continued essay writing. Direct instruction in more sophisticated analysis and application - for example, identifying dependent clauses and independent clauses, and then using subordination to draft effective arguments - continues. The vocabulary study continues, with direct relationships to students' world language and Latin studies providing frequent interdisciplinary connections. Many of these skills find direct application in the concurrent literature program, as well as in the Major Religion paper in Geography and independent chemistry projects in science.
Eighth Grade
The eighth grade program combines the previous three years into an intensive writing curriculum. Continuing to employ the writing process, students develop their individual voices, anticipate their audience, and refine the purpose for each piece. Vocabulary study continues, and students develop their analytical skills through ongoing sentence diagramming, which includes direct instruction in complicated grammar concepts, such as verbals and subordination. Students are expected to apply these concepts in their writing in Language Arts and Literature classes, as well as in their research papers for History.
The Eighth Grade concludes with a comprehensive public speaking unit, in which they deliver a series of speeches to their classes and to their grade. Each year, over two dozen eighth graders design and speak at our annual Athletics Assembly. A number also audition for graduation, in which the faculty selects a single student to present an original speech about their RCDS experience. Additionally, the Eighth Grade President presents a history of the class at our annual Eighth Grade Dinner. These culminating experiences feature all the skills in speaking and writing that the students have developed in the Upper School.
The Eighth Grade concludes with a comprehensive public speaking unit, in which they deliver a series of speeches to their classes and to their grade. Each year, over two dozen eighth graders design and speak at our annual Athletics Assembly. A number also audition for graduation, in which the faculty selects a single student to present an original speech about their RCDS experience. Additionally, the Eighth Grade President presents a history of the class at our annual Eighth Grade Dinner. These culminating experiences feature all the skills in speaking and writing that the students have developed in the Upper School.
LITERATURE
Literature courses comprise the second strand of our Upper School English program. The curriculum instructs close reading, through which students independently construct meaning, develop their analytical and interpretive skills, and link the texts to other works, to themselves, and to the larger world. The pedagogy emphasizes sharing through teacher-guided discussion, student-led literature circles, and collaborative work. Our graduates move on from RCDS armed with robust independent reading skills, the ability to support their ideas with textual proof, and an aesthetic appreciation for well crafted literature.
Fifth Grade
In the Fifth Grade, Literature develops independent reading skills with an emphasis on identifying and using explicit information to analyze the text. Over the course of the year, this approach transitions from analysis to interpretation of the text, as well as the fostering of implicit reasoning skills. Students must express their ideas in a variety of modes - class discussion, character analyses, opinion pieces, and individual projects. The content centers on five books that serve as touchpoints for learning literary devices, figurative language, and analytical learning. These have included The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963, Summerlost, Trash, Brown Girl Dreaming, and Tuck Everlasting.
Concurrently, students read short stories, poetry, and play excerpts that provide thematic connections to the novels and to other areas of the curriculum. Students also maintain a robust independent reading program, in which they conduct nightly reading of teacher approved novels, keep reading reading logs and journals, and present their work to their peers.
In the Fifth Grade, Literature develops independent reading skills with an emphasis on identifying and using explicit information to analyze the text. Over the course of the year, this approach transitions from analysis to interpretation of the text, as well as the fostering of implicit reasoning skills. Students must express their ideas in a variety of modes - class discussion, character analyses, opinion pieces, and individual projects. The content centers on five books that serve as touchpoints for learning literary devices, figurative language, and analytical learning. These have included The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963, Summerlost, Trash, Brown Girl Dreaming, and Tuck Everlasting.
Concurrently, students read short stories, poetry, and play excerpts that provide thematic connections to the novels and to other areas of the curriculum. Students also maintain a robust independent reading program, in which they conduct nightly reading of teacher approved novels, keep reading reading logs and journals, and present their work to their peers.
Sixth Grade
The Sixth Grade Literature program explores the five genres of literature: short fiction, novel, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Students use the reading and analytical skills introduced in the fifth grade curriculum to construct meaning from a wide variety of classic and contemporary works, while they concurrently continue their independent reading.
Over the course of the year, students learn a variety of literary terms and conventions, which they must then apply to their readings. This application of conceptual information represents a significant step in their abstract reasoning skills. The year concludes with a capstone experience focused on A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. In collaboration with the drama department, students read and study the play. In the final week of school, each child presents an interpretive performance of a scene or significant speech from the drama. Then the students provide a literary analysis of the performance.
Seventh Grade
Our Seventh Grade Literature program blends classical and modern texts to foster an appreciation of myth-making, heroes, and literary conventions. This course blends content from the western canon, such as Greek Mythology, the Old Testament, and Arthurian Legend, with modern works like The Golden Compass to nurture students’ interpretive and comparative skills. Much of this content has explicit connections to other disciplines. The Latin program includes content about the Greek and Roman gods, while the Geography program includes a unit on the Middle Ages.
Finally, the study in Shakespeare continues as the grade reads The Tempest. Over the course of the year, classes move from teacher guided discussions to student led conversations about the works, as the content broadens from text into modern media like film. By the end of the year, students can comprehend independent reading of literature from another time and place, present their ideas in written, spoken, or performed settings, and support their interpretations with textual support.
Eighth Grade
The Eighth Grade Literature curriculum centers on four genre studies: short fiction, poetry, novel, and drama. Each unit challenges the students to deepen their comprehension, analysis, and interpretive skills while furthering their knowledge and application of genre specific terms and concepts.
The short fiction, poetry, and novel units focus their content on significant American authors, so that the literature dovetails with the Eighth Grade History class. These writers include Irving, Poe, Vonnegut, and Walker, while the poets include Dickinson and Whitman. For the novel unit, the entire grade reads To Kill a Mockingbird. For the drama study, the grade studies Romeo and Juliet. Students must read and/or listen to each work independently and arrive in class with a firm command of the explicit content.
Through student-led discussion, reflective journaling, and group analysis exercises, the class challenges students to adopt different perspectives and integrate those perspectives into their own interpretations. Children must demonstrate their knowledge through expository and analytical, through presentations, and through creative assignments, such as writing their own stories or designing movie posters.
At the end of the eighth grade, our graduates have strong close reading skills, broad knowledge of different literary genres, and a command of literary analysis and interpretation. This program prepares them to be independent readers, who possess the critical thinking skills to understand the world around them.
The Sixth Grade Literature program explores the five genres of literature: short fiction, novel, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. Students use the reading and analytical skills introduced in the fifth grade curriculum to construct meaning from a wide variety of classic and contemporary works, while they concurrently continue their independent reading.
Over the course of the year, students learn a variety of literary terms and conventions, which they must then apply to their readings. This application of conceptual information represents a significant step in their abstract reasoning skills. The year concludes with a capstone experience focused on A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. In collaboration with the drama department, students read and study the play. In the final week of school, each child presents an interpretive performance of a scene or significant speech from the drama. Then the students provide a literary analysis of the performance.
Seventh Grade
Our Seventh Grade Literature program blends classical and modern texts to foster an appreciation of myth-making, heroes, and literary conventions. This course blends content from the western canon, such as Greek Mythology, the Old Testament, and Arthurian Legend, with modern works like The Golden Compass to nurture students’ interpretive and comparative skills. Much of this content has explicit connections to other disciplines. The Latin program includes content about the Greek and Roman gods, while the Geography program includes a unit on the Middle Ages.
Finally, the study in Shakespeare continues as the grade reads The Tempest. Over the course of the year, classes move from teacher guided discussions to student led conversations about the works, as the content broadens from text into modern media like film. By the end of the year, students can comprehend independent reading of literature from another time and place, present their ideas in written, spoken, or performed settings, and support their interpretations with textual support.
Eighth Grade
The Eighth Grade Literature curriculum centers on four genre studies: short fiction, poetry, novel, and drama. Each unit challenges the students to deepen their comprehension, analysis, and interpretive skills while furthering their knowledge and application of genre specific terms and concepts.
The short fiction, poetry, and novel units focus their content on significant American authors, so that the literature dovetails with the Eighth Grade History class. These writers include Irving, Poe, Vonnegut, and Walker, while the poets include Dickinson and Whitman. For the novel unit, the entire grade reads To Kill a Mockingbird. For the drama study, the grade studies Romeo and Juliet. Students must read and/or listen to each work independently and arrive in class with a firm command of the explicit content.
Through student-led discussion, reflective journaling, and group analysis exercises, the class challenges students to adopt different perspectives and integrate those perspectives into their own interpretations. Children must demonstrate their knowledge through expository and analytical, through presentations, and through creative assignments, such as writing their own stories or designing movie posters.
At the end of the eighth grade, our graduates have strong close reading skills, broad knowledge of different literary genres, and a command of literary analysis and interpretation. This program prepares them to be independent readers, who possess the critical thinking skills to understand the world around them.
