State College Friends School
Welcome to
our Upper School Class Page!
Teachers Bailey Klinestiver, Christy LaForce, and Barbara Stoicheff
Our upper school encompasses fifth through eighth grade students and follows a curriculum that blends classroom academics, hands-on projects, field trip experiences, and service opportunities. Core academic classes for upper school students include science, language arts, social studies, and math. "Specials" classes include art, music, yoga, Spanish, gym, and elective classes. Elective classes change two to three times per year and allow students more choice in their learning—an important part of adolescence. This year, upper school elective classes have included theatre, yearbook, outdoor survival, fantasy costuming, printmaking, and creating and editing films.
The school day begins with classroom meetings. The fifth and sixth graders meet with Tr. Bailey for homeroom time and the seventh and eighth graders meet with Tr. Christy. From there, students travel to their academic and specials classes by grade level, stopping at their lockers in between classes for their supplies.
Upper School Language Arts: Teacher Christy
The Upper School Language Arts curriculum is based on “Lessons that Change Writers” by Nancie Atwell. This curriculum is based on the belief that students become the best writers they can become when they:
- are given regular blocks of time to write;
use their own topics as writing subjects;
learn mechanics of writing in context;
read a wide-ranging variety of texts including prose, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction;
- receive personal responses on their writing from teachers and peers.
Click here to learn more about our Language Arts program.
Upper School Science: Teacher Bailey
Through their four years in upper school science, students learn science through inquiry and experimentation. These methods catch the natural curiosity of each adolescent and ignite a desire to learn more.
As our students progress through our program, they will spend a year studying each of fou
r major areas. We cycle these topics so that each student gets a full year of study of each topic.
Fifth and sixth grade science --
Area One: Earth and Space Science
Area Two: Biology
Seventh and eighth grade science --
Area One: Physics
Area Two: Chemistry
Click here to learn more about our Science program.
Upper School Mathematics: Teachers Christy and Bailey
Mathematics in the upper school is based on high-quality, small-group instruction through which students receive individualized help. Fifth grade students begin their year working in the University of Chicago’s Everyday Math curriculum. Everyday Math emphasizes building students' mathematical knowledge, from the basics to higher-order thinking, using multiple algorithms and critical problem solving. During their fifth grade year, students transition into the fifth grade level of the Prentice Hall math curriculum.
Beginning in their sixth grade year, students progress at a pace that suits their needs and abilities, as they work their way through the Prentice Hall curriculum which is used by the State College Area School District. By the time students begin their eighth grade year, most are taking Algebra 1. As they enter their ninth grade year, many of our graduates place into Geometry.
Upper School Social Studies: Teacher Barbara
Our fifth and sixth graders have spent the fall and winter studying various units in social studies. We have spent time studying:
- Native Americans;
- the geography of North & South America, including Canada;
- the Winter Olympics.
The students have been practicing geography skills by learning the countries and capitals of Central and South America, and Canada, our neighbors to the south and north. When classes resumed after winter break, we began our unit on the Winter Olympics. Students spent weeks learning Olympic facts and history, preparing oral reports on an Olympic event, and creating a human inukshuk in the community room. In the spring, we hope to carry on a Friends School tradition and host World’s Fair, a research project that students are eager to start!
Our seventh and eighth graders have studied topics in:
- world religions;
- birth years (1995-97) study & memory book project;
- the United Nations & Model U.N. simulation.
At the beginning of the school year, students investigated a religion of their choice and prepared a Power Point presentation to present to the class. To wrap up the unit, students visited the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center-Eisenhower Chapel on campus. We toured the facility and had the opportunity to see the Muslim prayer room since it wasn’t occupied at the time. Our birth years studies and memory book projects were timely, leading up to the winter break. Students studied the major news events, pop culture, movies, and music from 1995-97. Students then constructed “memory books” cataloging memories, pictures, and the events from their birth years just in time to share with their families during the holiday season. In the New Year, students studied the ins and outs of the United Nations and we took a closer look at its role throughout the world. At the end of our unit, students participated in a model U.N. simulation. At our model U.N., students tried to find solutions on how to increase global literacy from 40% to 50% by the year 2015. The simulation lasted three class periods before a resolution was drafted and passed. As spring approaches, we will be studying the American Revolution and America’s road to independence.
Life Skills: Teacher Christy
All upper school students complete the LifeSkills program. Recommended by middle school specialists at Penn State, the LifeSkills program has been shown to reduce the risks of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use as well as violence by teaching students alternatives to risky behavior. The program contains units of study on self-image and self-improvement, making decisions, realities of drug use (including nicotine and alcohol), advertising, violence and the media, coping with anxiety and anger, communication skills, assertiveness and conflict resolution. Please see http://www.lifeskillstraining.com/ for more information.
Activities in the Upper School
Leadership and stewardship are two themes for engagement of our upper school students. Upper school students are encouraged to take leadership roles and experience the personal growth and satisfaction that these roles offer. Here is a sampling of activities our students get involved in:
- Participate in a weekly upper school Meeting for Worship that focuses on Quaker testimonies, encourages self-expression, and connects students to real-life concerns;
- Plan and host Field Day for the lower school;
- Plan and host a haunted hallway for the lower school on Halloween;
- Perform weekly community service;
- Sing in the Peace Choir;
- Act in the yearly production of “King in Montgomery: Ten Years in the Non-violent Civil Rights Movement”;
- Care for a plethora of science room animals;
- Plant and tend an upper school garden;
- Put on a full-length play.
Communication
All parents of upper school students receive a weekly update letter that explains what topics their children have been studying and what special activities they have engaged in. This letter can be read at our website, http://scmiddleschool.weebly.com/. This website also lists current homework assignments and includes photos of upper school events.
