The Grade 7 Advanced Math sequence of learning supports a scope and sequence that prepares students for high school level Algebra I in eighth grade. Students are immersed in a learning environment that encourages students to meet mathematical challenges head on and where errors are viewed as learning opportunities. Through small group, whole group, and differentiated instruction, students apply mathematical concepts to a variety of real-world experiences.

Students also learn mathematics through games and engaging real life activities. We use Big Ideas Math materials to guide students as they explore, learn, and apply skills while honing the mathematical practices/habits of mind. Students in 7th grade deepen and build on concepts introduced in 6th grade by applying knowledge of rational numbers, algebraic concepts, ratios, proportions and percent. Students are also introduced to concepts relating to data and statistics, probability, and geometry.

Redwood Day offers language learning in Mandarin or Spanish designed for students learning an additional language who do not have native fluency in the language. Based on class and placement assessments, students are placed in the appropriate world language pathways. New students to Redwood Day are assessed before their arrival for optimal placement.

 

In Grade 7 Spanish, building on the foundations developed in sixth grade, a focus is on developing students’ fluency and accuracy while balancing learning that develops knowledge of Spanish grammar. Students work on reading, writing, listening, and speaking in almost every class period and have opportunities to communicate in Spanish without emphasizing perfection. Special attention is given to building vocabulary and understanding and incorporating more complex verbs into students’ working memory. Alongside the acquisition of more complex verbs, the continued expansion of vocabulary using thematic units has allowed students the chance to comprehend more complex language, express their own likes and dislikes, and engage one another in more complex interactions in Spanish.

 

Grade 7 Advanced Spanish is designed to target the four fundamental areas of foreign language study: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The primary objective is to concurrently enhance students' fluency in verbal communication and deepen their understanding of Spanish grammar. The curriculum seamlessly blends both established and contemporary concepts with a specific emphasis on conjugating regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, stem-changing verbs in the present tense and grasping the nuances between ser and estar. In addition to routine readings and comprehension assignments, there is increased emphasis on daily practice of conversational Spanish through class discussions and other interactive activities. Key learning objectives for the second semester include transitioning from present tense discussions to past tense discussions, with a specific focus on distinguishing between preterit and imperfect tenses. As a culminating project, students will research a Hispanic artist of their choice and present their findings and observations to the class, conducted entirely in Spanish.

 

In seventh grade Mandarin, students continue to develop a solid foundation in all essential areas of Mandarin language learning that includes an increasing knowledge of tones, character strokes, radical parts, and the structure of Chinese characters. Students build their comprehension by using Mandarin fluently in real-life conversations about family, pets, body parts, the weather, colors, preferences for food and drinks, description of appearances, room decor, and common Chinese foods. At this level, learners increase their fluency in listening and speaking and further develop their reading and writing skills in Mandarin to where students are able to write short paragraphs. Beyond language proficiency, students gain understanding of cultural topics through project-based learning experiences. 

In seventh grade Music, students focus on playing and composing melodies as part of the ukulele curriculum. Starting by playing songs with just a few notes and rhythmic concepts, students gradually incorporate a greater number notes and rhythmic concepts until they are able to play complex melodies. Once they are able to play the notes and rhythms, students begin to compose melodies using the ukulele and music notation software. They learn about melodic structure, lyric writing, and repetition, and apply these concepts to their original compositions. Peers learn to play each other’s pieces then evaluate them based on specific aesthetic criteria. At the end of the year, students collaborate (in small groups) on the composition, rehearsal and performance of original, full-length pop songs that they play on ukulele and sing. In seventh grade, students also learn about the history of the Blues through critical listening, discussion, and films about the tradition. In the fall, students choose a song democratically, rehearse it as a class, and then perform it at Generations Day and the Winter Concert. 

In Seventh Grade English, students are actively engaged in reading, discussing, and analyzing more complex literature and informational texts, including dystopian fiction, poetry, and argument texts via whole class and book club experiences. Students continue to use relevant evidence to support their analysis of texts, and they begin to incorporate more evidence to strengthen their points. Independent reading in grade 7 continues to support and promote a lifelong love and habit for reading. In writing, students hone their narrative and expository writing techniques, and they develop clear and coherent writing to serve specific purposes and audiences. Creating cohesive, well-structured writing using relevant support and detail are a focus of writing in 7th Grade English while developing and expanding English language grammar and conventions.

 

In seventh grade DBi, the themes of self-awareness (emotions, intentions, identity) and service (home, school, community) serve as contexts for students to develop a deeper design/build craft as they learn about themselves as a designers and builders in relationship with others and their school. Students develop a self-awareness of who they are as designers to ensure they are designing with purpose, joy and craftsmanship, and they design and build objects, processes, or systems that meet the needs of their community. 

Physical Education in seventh grade is where students build on previously learned movement skills with practical application to individual and team competitive activities and sports. The Middle School PE program focuses on developing movement, motor skills, and social skills across a variety of environments. They also learn to maintain a healthy lifestyle through individual and collaborative fitness components throughout the program, and they develop skills for communication, leadership, cultural awareness, and conflict resolution in a variety of physical activity settings. Class content and social-emotional development are geared towards preparing students for their next challenge and promoting lifelong fitness.

Seventh grade history focuses on world history and religion from approximately 500 to 1500 CE. Picking up where they left off in sixth grade, students study the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, European and Japanese feudalism, the spread of Islam, and West African Kingdoms. Particular attention is given to the structures of power in each society. In the spring, students engage in researching, designing, and creating a Remembrance Project where they explore memorials, monuments, and other public remembrances and how they symbolize historical people, events, and movements during the multi-week, interdisciplinary research and design project. 

 

In Grade 7 Drama and Public Speaking, students take a deeper dive into public speaking as they research, prepare, and present persuasive speeches on a variety of topics. Throughout the year students rehearse and perform short scenes by local and national playwrights where they develop skills such as character development, script analysis, and collaboration and teamwork. Improvisation and theatre games are infused throughout the year, allowing students to develop their skills in the core facets of "improv" (listening, creativity, and "yes, and..."). A unit on superheroes and supervillains helps students study character development in an engaging and familiar medium. Students create original superheroes, sidekicks, and supervillains, and then write and present scenes and monologues featuring those original characters. The year culminates with students researching, rehearsing, and performing more advanced scenes from a variety of plays and playwrights.

 

In Seventh Grade Wellness and Life Skills, students explore what it means to act with integrity with a focus on perspective seeking. Students learn to evaluate and recognize the signs of depression, to recognize safe and unsafe situations, and how to access trusted adults. In the realm of sex education, seventh graders develop their relationship literacy and explore sexual orientation and identity, and they learn about reproduction and sexual decision making. In media literacy, students examine the effects that social media has on their relationships as well as their privacy. Students learn via Common Sense Media lessons, guest speakers, small and large group discussion, and reading and viewing relevant articles and media. The 'learning to learn' portion of this course focuses on executive function and attention to task, task initiation, planning and time management, and metacognition.