Upper Level
This large, dynamic program organizes students in myriad ways. Each student is assigned to a home base where they begin and end their days. From there, they are gathered in groupings depending on the subject. As a result, students interact with a wide variety of peers/adults over the course of each week, satisfying their intense drive for social connection.
Cosmic Curriculum
The Cosmic Curriculum continues to be the launching point for all studies in the sciences, history, and geography. Focus shifts to the development of civilization and studies are complemented by inquiry into more detailed ideas such as mapping, economic geography, and the mutual interaction between humans and their environments. Students tend to love science and are enthusiastic about further refining concepts: atomic structures and chemical reactions, land and water formation, and the life science of the organisms of the five kingdoms. The process of scientific inquiry and the scientific method is central to all work in the sciences.
Practical Life
Students take on classroom governance by electing homeroom and class officers who organize and run class meetings. Students further develop their executive function skills as they manage a greater course load, increased work demand, and a combination of short and long-term projects. Students co-create, plan and facilitate an all-school Halloween Carnival. Students choose from various activities during their daily stillness practice to develop a repertoire of strategies that promote self-regulation.
Language
Academic life at this level requires the continuous use of imagination to grapple with ideas, the precise use of language to communicate effectively, and the ability to develop and present research topics of interest. Skills in editing, paraphrasing, proofreading, punctuation, and spelling are further refined. Every year students research a topic and produce a comprehensive term paper Work with vocabulary, and word study provides depth to the comprehension of more advanced texts. The study of literature and poetry provides a counterpoint to factual research. Students’ creativity is fostered by writing short stories and poems. Every year students conduct research on a topic of choice and produce a substantial term paper and poster presentation.
Math
Students continue to explore the decimal system, basic operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and measurement. Pre-algebra, squaring and cubing, percentages, probability, and graphing are introduced. Problem-solving is emphasized, and students learn strategies to solve word problems. Geometry is well-grounded in concrete experiences with manipulative materials as relationships and concepts are explored and researched, and the child’s own conclusions provide a basis for theorems and formulas.
Anti-bias
Students identify different ways discrimination occurs in our society and consider interpersonal, institutional, and internalized injustice. Students further develop their abilities to examine text critically from an anti-bias perspective, and some begin to actively challenge the prejudice and discrimination they see in our world. Through literature and history curriculums, students begin to acquire an understanding of the history behind some folks having advantages and others disadvantages, based on who they are and where/when they were born.
Additional Curriculum
Classes in Spanish, Latin, Music, Art, and Physical Education complement classroom work.
Given the freedom and support to probe deeply and make connections, EACMSI students become confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners.