Middle school history class

Middle School

Director: Tom O'Connor

In the Tandem Friends School Middle School, we seek to help children become confident, independent learners. The Middle School, while sharing the ideals and philosophies of Tandem Friends as a whole, provides a more structured and closely supervised setting for the academic, social, and emotional growth of our younger students.

The distinctive developmental characteristics of Middle School students have been taken into account in creating the curriculum. Students learn to exercise judgment and initiative as well as to assimilate information. To that end, we encourage students to discover and develop their own interests at the same time that they gain the skills and insights derived from study in the traditional disciplines.

We believe in understanding concepts, not just using formulas, and stress the deep understanding that is achieved by working with commitment and creativity. We strive to help children become lifelong learners and emphasize personal responsibility and appreciation of knowledge.

Work within the curriculum and our weekly Advisory class deepens our students’ understanding of Quaker school traditions and values. Open meetings are held frequently to encourage students to resolve issues or speak openly about their school experience.

Tandem Friends provides a strong academic program across the Middle School curriculum. Middle School teachers provide a program that broadens experiences, remedies deficiencies, and finally, challenges students to achieve their greatest potential.

5th Grade Classes

  • Humanities (includes geography, history, and English)
  • Math
  • Science through Inquiry
  • Introduction to Music
  • Art (one semester)
  • Drama (one semester)
  • Physical Education and Health

5th Grade Trip: 5th graders attend an overnight 'campout' at Sugar Hollow and study natural habitats and water resources.

6th Grade Classes

  • Humanities (includes geography, history, and English)
  • Math
  • Earth Science
  • Latin Ia
  • Art (one semester)
  • Drama (one semester)
  • Physical Education and Health

6th Grade Trip: 6th graders take a two-night trip to West Virginia to the Radio Astronomy site and observatory as the culmination of their study of the stars.

Follow the 6th Grade Blog!

7th Grade Classes

  • English
  • United States History
  • Prealgebra
  • Life Science from a Naturalist Viewpoint
  • Latin Ib
  • Art (one semester)
  • Drama (one semester)
  • Physical Education and Health

7th Grade Trip: 7th graders travel by train for two nights to Washington, DC, sharing simple accomodations at a local church where they cook their meals together. They enjoy a full day of hands-on history and humanities that relates to their current studies at area museums and historic sites. Under the guidance of YSOP, a Quaker youth services organization that gives students experience in large city social agencies that serve the homeless and the poor, students perform a full day of service for DC-area organizations that serve the homeless and the elderly. On one of the evenings there, they cook and serve a dinner to a group of homeless people, some of whom share their stories of homelessness with the class.

8th Grade Classes

  • English
  • Ancient and Medieval Civilizations
  • Algebra
  • Physical Science Explored through Environmental Topics
  • Latin II or French I or Spanish I
  • Art (one semester)
  • Drama (one semester)
  • Physical Education and Health

8th Grade Trip: 8th graders travel by train for two nights to Washington, DC, sharing simple accomodations at a local church where they cook their meals together. They enjoy a full day of hands-on history and humanities that relates to their current studies at area museums and historic sites. Under the guidance of YSOP, a Quaker youth services organization that gives students experience in large city social agencies that serve the homeless and the poor, students perform a full day of service for DC-area organizations that serve the homeless and the elderly. On one of the evenings there, they cook and serve a dinner to a group of homeless people, some of whom share their stories of homelessness with the class.
5th grade class
5th grade class.
6th graders visit an observatory in West Virginia
Fifth graders visit Sugar Hollow to study stream ecology.
7th grade community service trip
7th grade community service trip.
8th grade class
8th graders work on a video.
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