Archive
6th Service Learning
- Citizenship
School Stewardship
- Citizenship
Poquonook Solutions Project
- Citizenship
The Poquonook Solutions Project is the capstone effort of the broader, year-long ninth grade focus on the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development. Named after the School’s most significant geographic feature, the mountain, the project is one that engages the students in purposeful, project based learning. During the last month and a half of their time at IMS, small teams of 9th graders use the framework of the SDGs to identify a real world issue, and then work to develop a real world solution to that issue. Employing research, design, and presentation skills, the team members collaborate as they work toward the Poquonook Solutions Symposium, during which they present their efforts to a panel of outside sustainability experts, who assess the solutions’ viability and relevance with an eye toward implementation.
Eighth Ethics
- Citizenship
Ethics is designed to be an introduction to the basic questions and issues of ethical philosophy and relies heavily on discussions in small group settings. Among the topics considered were Utilitarianism, Contractarianism, and altruistic behavior.
Ninth Global Citizenship
- Citizenship
Global Citizenship is a ninth grade course designed to touch on the overall concept of global citizenship and related ideas. During the term the topics explored include the definition of citizenship, what happens to the concept of citizenship when the word “global” is added, and what are human rights and where do they come from. The class also presents some basics about the functioning of the United Nations. In addition to discussions in the classroom, the students followed an online curriculum designed by the Asia-Pacific Centre and UNESCO for the Ban ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens. Class trips have included a visit to the headquarters of both the UN and of UNICEF.
Introduction to the SDGs
- Citizenship
Introduction to the SDGs class is centered on providing a basic understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These seventeen objectives, unanimously adopted by the UN member states in 2015, are designed to address social justice issues such as the reduction of poverty and equity, to environmental concerns, such as climate change and the protection of species and biomes. As course content, we make use of video lessons from a course offered by Columbia University’s Earth Institute in conjunction with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), as well as teacher generated lessons. In addition, the students gain some insight into the importance of data science by exploring the Gapminder website and associated tools. Given that the SDGs are informing the curriculum in a number of the other ninth grade courses and in anticipation of the Poquonook Solutions Project in the spring, the hope is that this class provides useful background information, allowed students to practice certain skills they will use during the project, and helped students see the connections between their academic work and issues in the world beyond Indian Mountain.
ELL Academic Skills
- English
This class is intended for second language learners who need an additional year of ESL instruction after taking ESL Writing and Reading classes, as well as incoming eighth grade international students. Students in this class need to have advanced intermediate to advanced level English proficiency. In Bridge class, students follow the mainstream eighth grade English class curriculum; however, it is modified so that they can complete assignments independently. They use the mainstream eighth grade English textbooks except for the vocabulary textbook: instead, they strive to master new vocabulary from their grammar and reading books. Students are expected to improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in Bridge class; participation is expected during every class. Evaluations include regular quizzes and tests, as well as the SLEP and ITP (Institutional Testing Program) TOEFL test given in the spring.
Fifth Writing Workshop
- Skills
Meeting once a week, Fifth grader use writing workshop as a supplement to their English class to continue to build their developing writing skills.
Seventh Public Speaking
- Skills
Public speaking class begins with the students reflecting on the typical feelings and fears surround speaking in front of others. The elements of public speaking (content, intent, audience, delivery, etc) are reviewed and students are asked to watch and review several examples. Students take turns practicing many of these elements in several different class activities, while receiving and provided feedback on delivery and presentation. In the final weeks of the term, students study rhetorical devices, watch and review several famous speeches, and then write and deliver their own original work in the Assembly Hall.
Seventh Study Skills
- Skills
The Eighth Grade Study Skills focuses on two main topics. First and foremost is the research process. As the students work their way through term papers and assignments in other courses, they learn methods and techniques that support these assignments and other work to come in future courses. Time is spent investigating effective and efficient means to conduct internet research, how to find pertinent information in gathered sources and how to organize materials and information. The class also learns ways to enhance a paper through proper formatting and the introduction of graphics. The second topic of the course is preparation for comprehensive exams. Review and study techniques are covered.