Humanities
English and history stand at the center of our rigorous interdisciplinary humanities curriculum. These two subjects are linked thematically, with each grade level focusing on a specific topic or concept. Short and long-term interactive and interdisciplinary projects challenge students at each level.
As students progress through middle school, they continue to strengthen skills and acquire new ones. In English, they advance in reading comprehension, writing, literary analysis, speech and grammar. In history, they learn how to think critically about past events and analyze the relationship between cause and effect while refining their research, writing and organizational skills. Students also develop note taking skills and become adept users of primary and secondary sources, both material and digital.
FIFTH GRADE
Fifth graders focus on ancient Sumer/Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, China and India, examining what made these early civilizations thrive. Students investigate connections among the literature they read and the themes they study in both English and history, allowing them to improve their comprehension and literary analysis skills. The writing curriculum starts off with creative writing as students learn the stages of the writing process and plot structure, which they employ in their yearlong opera project. Additionally, students learn to write an expository five-paragraph essay, explore poetry, and write and deliver a speech that answers the question: how can I help? In addition to improving grammar, vocabulary, and the mechanics of writing, fifth graders also participate in Harkness discussions throughout the year, where they learn to be active listeners and engaged participants around the table. They also complete long-term projects which require ongoing organization and synthesis.
SIXTH GRADE
Since The Masters School is situated above the Hudson River, it makes sense that the sixth grade social studies curriculum uses the river and region as its theme. Students study the history of the Hudson River Valley by focusing on the people and events that influenced the region, starting with the earliest Americans in North and South America and continuing through the Revolutionary War. A weekly current events class serves as a tool for connecting the past with the present. Frequent field trips augment student learning. During the year, students spend time both in the Hudson River (seining field trip), and overlooking the Hudson River (West Point field trip). As a result, sixth graders at Masters enjoy a year of true experiential learning.
Our sixth graders spend the year honing their reading and writing skills in English. As a whole class, students read a variety of short stories with diverse characters and perspectives in order to promote a sense of identity and belonging, including the collection Flying Lessons and Other Stories. The historical fiction novels The Ugly One and My Brother Sam is Dead are read in conjunction with history class to provide a deeper understanding of the people and events studied. Students also participate in a yearlong independent reading study to discover and explore books of their choosing, which allows them to practice the skills learned through the class readings and engage with their books in an authentic manner. Students spend the year analyzing both their independent reading and class novels through a variety of literary analyses, building a strong foundation in the fundamentals of expository writing. Other writing genres include narrative storytelling, informational research, persuasion, and poetry. All writing assignments follow the steps of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Additionally, grammar, vocabulary, and public speaking are highlighted each trimester.
SEVENTH GRADE
The journey of seventh grade students involves themes of diversity, identity and community. We begin by investigating how we define ourselves and our community through the study of immigration to the United States. Students will also gain a geographic understanding of the wider world, and an appreciation and insight into major world religions, and the actions of people who are agents of positive change. We will also look into perspectives and peoples of countries in the Eastern Hemisphere during the medieval period which inform our understanding of cultural origins, journeys of different groups of people and the mutual exchange of ideas. We will explore our own personal family histories and engage in cultural inquiry, involving American, international and immigrant culture, through research, interdisciplinary projects, hands-on activities, re-enactments and trips to sites in the New York metropolitan area designed to encourage personal exploration.
To celebrate the many different perspectives of diversity and community more fully, we explore several essential questions throughout the year. As they expand their views of the world, our seventh graders continue to refine their skills in grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, research, and public speaking. While we emphasize listening and speaking skills through Harkness discussions, students will also improve their public speaking by delivering speeches to enhance their ability to speak clearly, persuade logically, and engage the attention of an audience. Additionally, the curriculum emphasizes writing and critical thinking skills, including use of the quick outline, and provides strategies necessary for eighth grade and beyond. Students will craft poetry and art to engage with our curriculum, which will culminate in a physical and metaphorical representation of their seventh grade journey.
EIGHTH GRADE
Building on the interdisciplinary coursework of the sixth and seventh grade curriculum, eighth grade English and history examine the many American identities that exist. It is also a thematic history of America’s attempt to fulfill the promises of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution for all Americans based on the following words by Martin Luther King, Jr.
"In a sense we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our Republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men—yes, black men as well as white men—would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. . ."
-“I Have a Dream” Speech, August 28, 1963
Engaging hearts and minds alike, the English curriculum focuses on issues of courage as well as the roles of the individual in American society. Through myriad texts, the course sheds light on how courage forms the basis of adolescence and coming of age. Heavy emphasis is placed on written expression in several areas, including expository and creative forms. Further, the class emphasizes analytical reasoning, close reading skills and oral presentation through daily discussion.
Eighth grade history explores the formation and evolution of the many American identities over the last five hundred years, from early exploration of the New World to post-WWII America. In particular, the class considers various Constitutional issues, and emphasis is placed on studying the pillars of the American Constitution. In addition, students explore duties of the citizen as well as of the country. Diverse interpretations and experiences of American history are given substantial weight. Students actively participate in historical simulations, immersing themselves in critical historical events such as the Constitutional Convention.
