MS Curriculum Guide - Newark Academy
Source: https://www.newarka.edu/how-we-learn/middle-school/ms-curriculum-guide
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:39
MS Curriculum Guide - Newark Academy
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MS Curriculum Guide
The Newark Academy Middle School curriculum offers young people opportunities to grow and learn in a challenging and supportive environment. The program is designed to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of adolescents. With dedicated teachers and an inclusive community, students find joy in their intellectual engagement.
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
For many students, the
sixth grade
is an important transition year academically and emotionally. The sixth grade program of study provides students with a foundational set of academic and social-emotional tools and skills to wield as they progress throughout NA. Across all courses and in extracurricular programming, students are encouraged to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and ask for help when needed, helping them grow and preparing them for the challenges ahead.
The
seventh grade
focuses on developing skills, maintaining high standards, and providing support. Since seventh graders are on the cusp of significant abstract thinking, they are challenged in seminars, essays and multimedia presentations to think critically. Built into the coursework are interactive, engaging and educational group projects that foster communication skills and help the students to take ownership and responsibility for their work.
Eighth grade
is a year of immense maturation, amplified by coursework that is metacognitively challenging. Students are asked to think both forwards — towards the challenges of ninth grade — and backwards — to where they were in sixth grade (and how far they’ve come). Students learn to move smoothly from concrete descriptive work to more analytic critical thinking and evaluating, thereby being prepared for the Upper School.
All
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
All
Arts
English
Health
Humanities
Integrated Skill-Based Learning
Language
Mathematics
Science
Search
Mathematics
GEOMETRY HONORS (5032)
This course provides students who have a strong foundation in algebra with a genuine opportunity to explore the mathematics of both plane and solid figures.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about GEOMETRY HONORS (5032)
Arts
MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND (6052)
This is a full-year course for seventh and eighth grade winds, brass, and percussion students. Continuing from 6th grade, this group acts both as a concert band and a jazz big band,
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND (6052)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH C (2031)
This level of French allows Middle School students to have a developmentally appropriate yet linguistically rich experience. The course is conducted exclusively in French.
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH C (2031)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN A (2012)
The immersion-style classroom environment emphasizes pinyin, stroke order, the structure of Chinese characters, and basic sentence structures in addition to listening and speaking.
Grade 6
Grade 7
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN A (2012)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN B (2022)
Students begin the year with a thorough review of the previous year’s content and skills while expanding vocabulary and fluency of written and oral expression with projects that consolidate this review.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN B (2022)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH C (2030)
This level of Spanish allows our most advanced Middle School students to have a developmentally appropriate yet linguistically rich experience.
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH C (2030)
Health
PHYSICAL HEALTH COMPETENCIES (7010)
How do I lead a healthy life and contribute to a healthy community? In this course, sixth grade students, individually and in groups, gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors necessary to provide a foundation for lifelong physical health competencies.
Grade 6
Read More
about PHYSICAL HEALTH COMPETENCIES (7010)
Arts
VOCAL TECHNIQUES (6051)
This course is designed for seventh and eighth grade students who wish to pursue a more experiential vocal music option.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about VOCAL TECHNIQUES (6051)
Arts
2D ART (6035)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to create 2-dimensionally in a variety of drawing media such as graphite, colored pencil, collage, and mixed media. Assignments challenge students through the implementation of proper techniques and thoughtful composition.
Grade 7
Read More
about 2D ART (6035)
Arts
2D ART (6042)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to create 2-dimensionally in a variety of drawing media such as graphite, colored pencil, collage, mixed media, watercolors and acrylic painting.
Grade 8
Read More
about 2D ART (6042)
Arts
3D ART (6030)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to sculpt 3-dimensionally in a variety of media with an emphasis on ceramics.
Grade 7
Read More
about 3D ART (6030)
Arts
3D ART (6043)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to sculpt 3-dimensionally in a variety of media with an emphasis on ceramics.
Grade 8
Read More
about 3D ART (6043)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - BAND (6010)
This is a full-year course for 6th grade winds, brass, and percussion students. The group acts both as a concert band and a jazz big band,
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - BAND (6010)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - CHORUS (6012)
In the fall semester, students concentrate on musical literacy (note identification, time designations, ear-training, rhythms, musical genres, dynamics, and articulations) as well as proper vocal technique.
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - CHORUS (6012)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - ORCHESTRA (6011)
This course is for students who play an orchestral string instrument, with a focus on violin, viola, cello, or double bass.
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - ORCHESTRA (6011)
Skip To Main Content
MS Curriculum Guide
The Newark Academy Middle School curriculum offers young people opportunities to grow and learn in a challenging and supportive environment. The program is designed to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of adolescents. With dedicated teachers and an inclusive community, students find joy in their intellectual engagement.
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
For many students, the
sixth grade
is an important transition year academically and emotionally. The sixth grade program of study provides students with a foundational set of academic and social-emotional tools and skills to wield as they progress throughout NA. Across all courses and in extracurricular programming, students are encouraged to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and ask for help when needed, helping them grow and preparing them for the challenges ahead.
The
seventh grade
focuses on developing skills, maintaining high standards, and providing support. Since seventh graders are on the cusp of significant abstract thinking, they are challenged in seminars, essays and multimedia presentations to think critically. Built into the coursework are interactive, engaging and educational group projects that foster communication skills and help the students to take ownership and responsibility for their work.
Eighth grade
is a year of immense maturation, amplified by coursework that is metacognitively challenging. Students are asked to think both forwards — towards the challenges of ninth grade — and backwards — to where they were in sixth grade (and how far they’ve come). Students learn to move smoothly from concrete descriptive work to more analytic critical thinking and evaluating, thereby being prepared for the Upper School.
All
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
All
Arts
English
Health
Humanities
Integrated Skill-Based Learning
Language
Mathematics
Science
Search
Mathematics
GEOMETRY HONORS (5032)
This course provides students who have a strong foundation in algebra with a genuine opportunity to explore the mathematics of both plane and solid figures.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about GEOMETRY HONORS (5032)
Arts
MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND (6052)
This is a full-year course for seventh and eighth grade winds, brass, and percussion students. Continuing from 6th grade, this group acts both as a concert band and a jazz big band,
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND (6052)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH C (2031)
This level of French allows Middle School students to have a developmentally appropriate yet linguistically rich experience. The course is conducted exclusively in French.
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL FRENCH C (2031)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN A (2012)
The immersion-style classroom environment emphasizes pinyin, stroke order, the structure of Chinese characters, and basic sentence structures in addition to listening and speaking.
Grade 6
Grade 7
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN A (2012)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN B (2022)
Students begin the year with a thorough review of the previous year’s content and skills while expanding vocabulary and fluency of written and oral expression with projects that consolidate this review.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL MANDARIN B (2022)
Language
MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH C (2030)
This level of Spanish allows our most advanced Middle School students to have a developmentally appropriate yet linguistically rich experience.
Grade 8
Read More
about MIDDLE SCHOOL SPANISH C (2030)
Health
PHYSICAL HEALTH COMPETENCIES (7010)
How do I lead a healthy life and contribute to a healthy community? In this course, sixth grade students, individually and in groups, gain the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors necessary to provide a foundation for lifelong physical health competencies.
Grade 6
Read More
about PHYSICAL HEALTH COMPETENCIES (7010)
Arts
VOCAL TECHNIQUES (6051)
This course is designed for seventh and eighth grade students who wish to pursue a more experiential vocal music option.
Grade 7
Grade 8
Read More
about VOCAL TECHNIQUES (6051)
Arts
2D ART (6035)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to create 2-dimensionally in a variety of drawing media such as graphite, colored pencil, collage, and mixed media. Assignments challenge students through the implementation of proper techniques and thoughtful composition.
Grade 7
Read More
about 2D ART (6035)
Arts
2D ART (6042)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to create 2-dimensionally in a variety of drawing media such as graphite, colored pencil, collage, mixed media, watercolors and acrylic painting.
Grade 8
Read More
about 2D ART (6042)
Arts
3D ART (6030)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to sculpt 3-dimensionally in a variety of media with an emphasis on ceramics.
Grade 7
Read More
about 3D ART (6030)
Arts
3D ART (6043)
Through experiential learning students develop the technical skills to sculpt 3-dimensionally in a variety of media with an emphasis on ceramics.
Grade 8
Read More
about 3D ART (6043)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - BAND (6010)
This is a full-year course for 6th grade winds, brass, and percussion students. The group acts both as a concert band and a jazz big band,
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - BAND (6010)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - CHORUS (6012)
In the fall semester, students concentrate on musical literacy (note identification, time designations, ear-training, rhythms, musical genres, dynamics, and articulations) as well as proper vocal technique.
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - CHORUS (6012)
Arts
6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - ORCHESTRA (6011)
This course is for students who play an orchestral string instrument, with a focus on violin, viola, cello, or double bass.
Grade 6
Read More
about 6TH GRADE FUNDAMENTALS - ORCHESTRA (6011)