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All sixth graders are placed in 6th Grade Math. 

The course extends the Common Core State Standards for sixth and seventh grade to provide opportunities for progress through the Dresden District math offerings. The instructional approach is a sequence from concrete to graphic to abstract. For example, concepts are introduced using manipulatives, then diagrams are used to model problems, and finally, mathematical notation is used. 

This course covers number theory, fractions, arithmetic in base 10, ratios, unit rates and percentages, expressions and equations, rational numbers, area and surface area, data sets and distributions.

Course offerings for seventh graders are:
7th Grade Math and 7th Advanced Math.

Course Descriptions:

7th Grade Math is a dynamic approach to the Common Core Standards for seventh grade, with an emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving. Students will study individual content strands as well as explore the connections between content strands. Throughout the year, students are encouraged to use variables and algebraic expressions to describe trends and patterns. Students will be an integral part of managing pretest data, choosing challenging assignments, and assessing learning based on posttest data. In addition to helping students establish good math habits, the class seeks to bridge the gap between foundation concepts and the abstract understanding necessary for success in algebra. This course covers: number theory, rational numbers, ratios and proportions, percents, expressions and equations, plane geometry, surface area & volume, graphing & slope, probability, and statistics. 

7th Advanced Math is designed for students already demonstrating mastery of pre-algebra topics, habits, and skills. Students heading to Algebra must learn new and abstract concepts quickly, connect to prior knowledge, and show an ability to utilize multiple problem-solving strategies. This course moves at a high school level pace with new information presented almost daily requiring immediate application and synthesis. This course covers polynomials, factoring, solving equations, solving inequalities, solving systems graphically and algebraically, quadratics, and functions. 

Placement Criteria:

All seventh graders are placed in 7th Grade Math. 

In order to be selected for 7th Advanced Math, the student must meet the following criteria:

• Current Math teacher recommendation,

Shifts to the student’s math placement during the school year must be completed before the end of the 1st quarter.

All students enroll in 8th Grade Math

Course Description:

8th Grade Math offers a dynamic approach to the Common Core Standards for eighth grade and beyond, with an emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving. Students will study individual content strands as well as explore the connections between content strands.

Throughout the year, students are encouraged to use variables and algebraic expressions to describe trends and patterns. Students will be an integral part of managing pretest data, choosing challenging assignments, and assessing learning based on posttest data. In addition to helping students establish good math habits, the class seeks to bridge the gap between foundation concepts and the abstract understanding necessary for success in algebra. This course covers number theory, rational numbers, ratios and proportions, percents, expressions and equations, graphing & slope, transformations, exponents and radicals, pythagorean theorem, surface area, volume, and perimeter, trigonometry. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to advance beyond the standard 8th grade curriculum to study Algebra and/or Geometry should they demonstrate the necessary mastery of prerequisite math concepts. 

Students studying Algebra will learn new and abstract concepts quickly, connect to prior knowledge, and show an ability to utilize multiple problem-solving strategies. Skills will include polynomials, factoring, solving equations, solving inequalities, solving systems graphically and algebraically, quadratics, and functions. 

Students demonstrating a mastery of Algebraic concepts will proceed to traditional Euclidean geometry course focused on reasoning, proof, and problem solving. Topics range from logical thinking, drawing conclusions, congruent triangles, lines in the plane, parallel lines, quadrilaterals, lines and planes in space, similar polygons, Pythagorean Theorem, trigonometry, circles, area, surface area, volume, and extension of coordinate geometry.

In the sixth grade, students experience science as an exciting process of inquiry and discovery. Students develop their skills and habits of mind in the classroom with laboratory activities, technology, and media center research. They learn to think as scientists and to appreciate how scientific knowledge relates to their own lives and the important role of collaboration and communication in the learning community. Perhaps even more importantly, students learn that science can include a wide range of experiences: active and quiet, fun and frustrating, easy and challenging. The Design Process (identify the problem, brainstorm, design, build, test and evaluate, share solution and redesign) is integrated in each unit. The content of sixth grade science is a mixture of physical and some life sciences, showing how these two disciplines are interrelated.

7th Grade Science has a major focus on ecology and helping students to understand some of the major ecological concepts about how our planet functions. These concepts include energy flow, cycling of matter (water and carbon especially), biodiversity, change (including natural selection), interrelationships, and adaptation. Connections to students’ lives and the world are woven throughout the curriculum. Real problems such as global warming, toxins in groundwater, and plastics in the ocean tie into the curriculum as do solutions such as biomimicry, green-engineering, and world climate summits. In addition, the science course ties into the 7th grade Civil War unit and delves into Civil War medicine through research and experimentation as well as infectious disease (then and now). 

Hands-on activities are numerous and range from experiments, simulations, using models, field studies, engineering design challenges, the scientific method, and more. Skills are developed in observing, experimenting, data analysis, graphing, seeing from others’ perspectives, rapid prototyping, and systems thinking (or you could put critical thinking). Art, writing, and science reading are woven throughout the year. Science classes are busy places full of investigation and learning.

The eighth grade science curriculum focuses on topics in earth science, and the acquisition of key skills and concepts. Topics covered include astronomy, chemistry, rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, earth history, map reading, natural resources, and other areas of current interest.

In class, students will use a variety of activities to develop key skills and concepts essential to effective problem solving. Active participation, data collection, organizing, and making reasonable conclusions are all emphasized. Effective display of data, and written and oral communication skills are practiced as students share ideas, take notes, draw diagrams, make graphs, write reports, and make formal presentations to their classmates. Independent effort is also important, and several long-term assignments are carried out at home as well as in class. Research skills, projects, and lab write-ups are all integral parts of the eighth grade year in science. Finally, an understanding of our planet and an awareness of the relationships between people and their environments will be studied. Thoughtful consideration of current environmental issues and other issues related to science and technology, and the creation of possible visions for the future of people and our planet help students to relate science to their own lives.

As part of our 7th-grade science remote learning unit our students and a good number of our staff participated in a Bioblitz. A Bioblitz is a challenge to find as many different living things as you can in a specific amount of time.  For this Bioblitz we surveyed as many different species as we could from home and nearby areas in May. We used an application called iNaturalist, a Citizen Science project, to collect observations and assign identifications. During the project participants cataloged more than 3000 observations of over 600 species. Numerous observations have reached “research-grade,” which is exciting and can be used for scientific research. This project was paired with virtual class sessions, assignments, and resources. We were fortunate to partner with Nathaniel Sharp from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, who set up the project, and he is lent his expertise in Bioblitzing, iNaturalist, natural history, and field techniques to the experience.

Visit our iNaturalist project page to view the observations, photos, and additional information from this exciting experience in our local natural world.

Sixth grade:
By readings in the text, analysis of primary sources, use of web-based resources and applications, and classroom discussions, students begin to construct their understanding of the history of the Americas, how the United States came to be, and how we have developed into the global power that we are today. We study how people first came to this continent and why. We study exploration and settlement from Europe and the impact of two worlds colliding on both the peoples of the Americas, and those who came to explore and settle. We learn how difficult and rare it is to have the freedoms we have and marvel at how long we have been able to maintain them. We also appreciate that at the time our nation was founded, freedom was not for all those living in the Americas, and continues to elude many Americans today. Students take critical looks at events in the past, examining them from multiple perspectives, and connect these events to what is happening in our world today.

Seventh Grade:

A primary focus in seventh grade is for Norwich and Hanover students to begin to know each other and learn to work collaboratively. The course picks up where sixth grade social studies ended by focusing on the chronological study of United States history during the 19th century. The curriculum focuses on a basic understanding of the tenets of the U.S. Constitution; Westward Expansion and Contraction; the Industrial Revolution, events leading to the Civil War, the Civil War itself and Reconstruction. Embedded into chronological events are the narratives of marginalized populations. The institution of slavery takes a central role in the 19th century, influencing the events that lead to war, and that continue to resonate through society today. Students take an in-depth look at the Lewis and Clark Expedition investigating the interactions among explorers, settlers, and Indigenous People. Students also analyze interactions between groups including the North and South prior to, during and after the Civil War. The social studies plus enrichment classes focus on the culture of Indigenous People in North America.
 

Eighth grade:
The final year of middle school is a time when many students struggle with issues of freedom, responsibility, peer pressure, individuality, trust and prejudice. The eighth grade social studies curriculum challenges students to define themselves and their values with respect to historical events and their own society. Students are introduced to this historical content by looking at five major religions of the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We then connect these religions to the study of golden ages along the Silk Route: Gupta in India, T’ang in China, the Abbasid in the Middle East, and the Renaissance in Europe. The second half of the year focuses on US and world history between 1900 and 1945 including the two world wars and the Holocaust.

Throughout the year, students are asked to compare historical decisions and events to contemporary issues in an attempt to discover what it means to be human themselves. Additionally, student-led current event discussions engage learners in analytical and critical thinking. These skills are also facilitated when students look at art and artifacts to deepen and enhance understanding. As students consider the role of individuals in history, they are ultimately compelled to reflect on their own roles and responsibilities as citizens. The eighth grade year-long theme for Social Studies is: “What Does It Mean to Be Human?” The eighth grade social studies plus enrichment classes focus on students engaging with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.